Women in 鈥榙econstruction鈥� harvest value, and help one another (video)
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| Tybee Island, Georgia
Katie Fitzhugh loves taking down the roof of an old house with her crew.
鈥淥nce the roof comes off, the house just goes very quickly,鈥� she says.
Don鈥檛 call it demolition. Her group, the Savannah-based nonprofit Re:Purpose Savannah, specializes in 鈥渄econstruction鈥� 鈥� carefully taking apart a building and harvesting the materials for reuse and recycling.聽Clients use the materials to build houses, furniture, and artwork. One inventory highlight: old-growth pine from historic houses, with beautiful grain and strength that can surpass steel.
The emerging industry also aims to minimize the environmental impact of removing a building.聽Demolition is a leading producer of waste globally.
鈥淒econstruction is the best tool we have right now to access [building] materials that were not initially designed for reuse,鈥� says Felix Heisel, an assistant professor of architecture at Cornell University. The practice can create 鈥渁 new, green workforce,鈥� Professor Heisel says. It also means keeping carbon sequestered and preserving historic values, he notes.
Re:Purpose Savannah researches and publicizes the history of the structures it takes down. The group also aims to elevate people who traditionally have had fewer opportunities in construction, where men make up in the U.S. The staff is made up almost entirely of women and gender-minority groups.
鈥淏oys are sort of born with a birthright for tool use,鈥澛爏ays Mae Bowley, the group鈥檚 executive director. 鈥淚t was important for me to create a space where women, women+, can learn.鈥�
