When buildings reach the end of their useful life, their removal can either generate a massive amount of waste or provide future building materials. Most old buildings have materials and systems that still have some useful life; and many items recovered from existing buildings can be reused or can be recycled into usable materials.

The benefits of recovering materials from demolished or deconstructed buildings include:

• lower disposal costs; 
• additional revenue from material sales; 
• avoided expense of purchasing new materials; 
• minimal use of landfill space; and 
• reduction in the pollution and energy consumption associated with the manufacture of new materials.

Reusable or recyclable deconstruction materials/demolition debris includes:

• Bricks
• Concrete and asphalt
• Soil and rocks
• Lumber and drywall
• Glass
• Electrical materials
• Plumbing fixtures
• Insulation
• Steel and aluminum
• Corrugated cardboard and plastics