BMRA urges role for deconstruction after disasters

Pittsburgh-based Build Reuse, which also goes by the acronym BMRA tied to its former name the Building Materials Reuse Association, says advocates of building deconstruction have an opportunity to expand the role of the dismantling technique.

Build Reuse says the United States Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is accepting comments through Friday, August 14, as it reviews its hazard mitigation planning guidance documents.

According to Build Reuse, FEMA distributes more than $600 million in grant funds that eventually are directed to successful state and local grant applicants as they focus on disaster mitigation and planning. “We encourage deconstruction and reuse professionals to submit comments that urge FEMA to consider deconstruction as a form of mitigation planning,” says the association.

“The comments can be brief, and the more deconstruction is mentioned, the more likely FEMA is to consider it as part of its mitigation planning goals (and funding matrices,” adds Build Reuse.

Comments can be e-mailed to fema-mitplan-guide-updates@fema.dhs.gov by Friday, August 14, says the association.