SUSTAINABLE HANDBOOK
EDITORIAL SAMPLE
Sustainable Disaster Recovery Handbook Published by Associa on for Sustainability Greensburg GreenTown GreenTown Joplin
Staff
Contacts
Execu ve Director & Co-Founder Associa on for Sustainability Daniel Wallach
Websites sustainabledisasterrecoveryhandbook.org associa onforsustainability.org greensburggreentown.org greentownjoplin.org
Co-Founder GreenTown Joplin Catherine Hart General Manager Greensburg GreenTown Ruth Ann Wedel Program Director Joah Bussert Director of Development Ama Hapke Media Director Jay Liebenguth GreenTown Fellows Jana Schwartz Jason Culbertson Greensburg GreenTown Board Wylan Fleener - Board Chair Janice Adamson - Vice Chair Laura Stoltenberg - Secretary/Treasurer Nancy Magliery John Janssen Board of Directors Joplin Andrew Whitehead 2
Sustainable Disaster Recovery Handbook
Greensburg Affiliate Silo Eco Home 402 South Sycamore Street Greensburg , KS 67054 620.723.2790 Joplin Affiliate 3115 South Main #5023 Joplin, MO 64804 417.622.0612
WHO ARE GREENSBURG GREENTOWN, GREENTOWN JOPLIN, AND ASSOCIATION FOR SUSTAINABILITY? Greensburg GreenTown was born out of the tornado that destroyed over 90% of the town of Greensburg, Kansas in 2007. This not-forprofit organiza on helped conceptualize and bring to frui on the idea of rebuilding a model town for the future. The rebuilding of Greensburg was in many respects a study of how to apply more sustainable prac ces in the built environment. These efforts brought many benefits to the community and today it stands as an interna onally recognized living laboratory and example of what can happen when a community builds sustainable values into recovery. GreenTown Joplin became our next affiliate organiza on a er Joplin, Missouri was devastated by an EF-5 tornado on May 22, 2011. In August of 2011, with the blessing of Joplin city leadership, Greensburg GreenTown and GreenTown Joplin started work in the community with the mission of helping to incorporate sustainable principles and prac ces into the rebuild. GreenTown Joplin oversees an ac ve commi ee of sustainability experts from the area who guide the development of new projects and provide no-cost consulta on to residents, business owners, and civic leaders. We aim to take what we have learned and replicate our sustainability efforts within other communi es. Associa on for Sustainability is a public benefit organiza on working to strengthen sustainability efforts across the country. Its short-term program goals are focused in its Sustainable Disaster Recovery Ini a ve which produces the Handbook and co-sponsors an annual na onal conference with the Center for Sustainability at Saint Louis University. The conference is dedicated to strengthening all organiza ons and efforts to integrate sustainability into disaster recovery.
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Dear Prospec ve Sponsor, I am happy to introduce to you the Sustainable Disaster Recovery Handbook. We invite you to join us in bringing this resource to poten ally millions of people who are, or will be, facing recovery from natural disaster. The SDR handbook is a simple way to offer relief, reassurance, and guidance to individuals who are likely facing the most daun ng task of their lives. When Greensburg experienced a devasta ng tornado in 2007, I was surprised that there wasn’t a simple resource like this to guide those going through the great challenges presented in recovery. I knew that so many had gone through this before and surely they had learned much that would be of benefit to those recovering from disaster now. A er much experience and research, we are publishing that handbook. We are offering lessons learned and, perhaps more importantly, bringing hope and inspira on to people recovering from disaster. The following editorial sample reflects the style and format of the handbook. We have designed it to be easy to read, graphically pleasing, and replete with concise and essen al informa on that will serve as a resource to residents, business owners, and community leaders. Anyone who has been through hardship realizes that struggle can be lessened by observing others who have successfully navigated through it. We have also witnessed that people o en feel overhelmed and paralyzed a er disaster, but by providing trustworthy informa on, the en re trajectory of recovery can changed for the be er. Introducing sustainability at a me like this can mo vate people to make the best possible choices for themselves and their community. We hope you will agree that this is a noble effort with enormous poten al impact. Currently, there lacks a single, na onally recognized, unifying resource that is readily available to the public when disaster strikes. Help us put this resource, the first of its kind, into the hands of a survivor. Your partnership with the handbook will generate a large return on your investment, and you will get con nual sa sfac on knowing that you help ease people’s difficul es. If you are interested, we are happy to meet with you on the phone or online to discuss how you can be involved in bringing this resource to those who need it. Your customers, poten al customers, employees, and shareholders will all benefit by your associa on with such an important project. Sincerely, Daniel Wallach Execu ve Director and Co-founder
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Sustainable Disaster Recovery Handbook
WHOM HAVE WE IMPACTED SO FAR? Not only have we been proac ve in reaching out to disaster communi es, in many cases, civic leaders in disaster commun es are reaching out to us first. The following list represents a small por on of the places where our organiza on has sent disaster recovery materials and literature, given lectures, and a ended seminars.
Northwestern Oklahoma State University lecture Alva, OK 10-9-2013
Communica ng Climate Change at the Na onal Aquarium Bal more, MD 2012
Rebuilding Expo booth Moore, Oklahoma 8-22-2013
Advancing Renewables in the Midwest Columbia, MO 2012
Breezy Point lecture New York 8-22-2013
Water Conserva on Conference Albuquerque, NM, 2012
Missouri Chamber of Commerce Annual Environmental Conference Lake of the Ozarks, MO 2013
Convene for Green Conference Nevada Sustainable Energy Coali on Las Vegas, 2012
Crowder College Green Construc on class Joplin, MO 2013
Design Like You Give a Damn Architecture for Humanity conference San Francisco, CA 2012
FEMA Corps group Joplin, MO, 2013
Advancing Renewables in the Midwest Columbia, MO 2012
Joplin Long-Term Recovery Commi ee Joplin, MO 2013
Convene for Green Conference Nevada Sustainable Energy Coali on Las Vegas, 2012
Mini presenta ons to state legislators on Solar Advocacy Day Jeerson City, MO 2013
Caring for Our HOME: Educa ng Moral Leaders for Ecological Sustainability Oklahoma City University, 2011
Being Green in the Darkest Days Arkansas Recycling Coali on Eureka Springs, AR 2013
Green Building Focus Conference Birmingham, AL, 2011
Sustainable Energy Conference Missouri State University Springfield, MO 2012
Greensburg, Kansas: Three Years into Rebuilding Green from the Ground Up USGBC. St. Louis, MO 2010
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TABLE OF CONTENTS 8
6
Sustainability and the Disaster Recovery Initiative
14
What to Expect After a Disaster
32
Post-Disaster Cleanup
54
The Healing Process
72
Temporary Housing
90
Finance and Insurance
102
Rebuilding a Community
126
Rebuilding a Business
142
Rebuilding a Home
246
Index and References
Sustainable Disaster Recovery Handbook
Sustainability and the Disaster
Temporary Housing
Rebuilding a Home
74 Housing Op ons
144 Ge ng Started
10 Why Sustainability?
76 Housing Assistance
146 Low Cost Tips for Success
11 Standards of Sustainability
78 Innova ons in Temporary Housing
148 Finding a Contractor/Builder
12 The Buddy Network
80 Interview with Expert
150 Net Zero Homes
82 Case Study: Greensburg
152 Resilent Design
Recovery Ini a ve
What to Expect A er a Disaster 18 Introduc on to Recovery
84 Feeling like your at Home 86 Frequently Asked Ques ons
156 Wall Systems
20 Recovery Timeline 22 How the Government Responds
Finance and Insurance
23 Who Comes to Help?
92 What you Need to Know
24 The History of Disaster Recovery
94 Grants and Assistance Programs
26 Organiza ons Serving Disasters
96 Financing a New Home
28 Case Study: Sandy
98 Incen ve programs
30 Advice from Survivors
164 Insula on 172 Siding 180 Selec ng Windows
100 Frequently Asked Ques ons 188 Roofing
Post-Disaster Cleanup
Rebuilding a Community
34 Reclaim, Reuse, Recycle
104 Planning for the Future
36 Priori es a er a Disaster
108 Leadership
38 Interview with Steve Hewi
110 Measuring Success
40 Salvaging Opportuni es
111 Incorpora ng Resilency
42 Interview with Nathan Benjamin
112 Communica ng Sustainability
44 Debris Removal Guidelines
114 Community Involvement
46 Case Study: Moore
116 Built Infrastructure Projects
48 Joplin Debris Infographic
118 Natural Infrastructure Projects
50 Frequently Asked Ques ons
120 Changing Codes and Zoning
196 Flooring 204 Ligh ng 212 Furnishings and Finishes 220 Water Management 228 Landscape
122 Case Study 236 Energy Systems
The Healing Process 56 Experiencing Loss
Rebuilding a Business
58 Picking up the Pieces: Joplin
128 Employee Benefits
60 Coping with Trauma and Stress
130 Economic Sustainability
62 Strategies for Personal Health
132 Selec ng an Architect & Builder
63 Personal Sustainability
134 Interview with Business Leader
64 Community Impact
136 Powering your Facility
66 Helping Children Cope
137 Innova ons in Construc on
68 Interview with Lisa LaDue
138 Case Study
70 Case Study: Joplin
140 Cost-Benefit Graphic
246 Index and References
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The a ermath of Hurricane Sandy along the New Jesery coastline. ‘The storm caused $70 billion in damage across eight states and damaged more than 650,000 homes’.1 Image by Greg Thompson, US Fish and wildlife service - flickr CC 8
Sustainable Disaster Recovery Handbook
WHAT TO EXPECT AFTER A DISASTER
Such a drama c event brings about many stages of recovery. From the day of the disaster to several years later, countless people and organiza ons will have impacted a disaster stricken community. The past 40 years in the United States alone has bore witness to hundreds of natural disasters. Yet, nearly every community that suered the hardship of loss eventually rebuilt and con nued to live on. The road to complete recovery may be several years away, but the most dificult part of the journey are the first few days.
challenging moments of your life. Remember to ask for help and to slow down, take your me. A natural disaster requires commitments and respon-sibili es from commun y residents as well as government leaders. Knowing the players involved and the various stages of recovery can help ease the recovery process.
There is comfort to be found from those near you. You, your family, and your neighbors have just experienced one of the most
1
1 Year Later, Superstorm Sandy Strengthens Resolve for Community Solu ons in Recovery, Rebuilding, by Amy Goodman. 10.29.2013
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DISASTER RECOVERY TIMELINE
8 /ŵƉůĞŵĞŶƚĂƟŽŶ
of New Zoning
In the resource “Planning for PostDisaster Recovery and Reconstruc on” the authors establish a model that iden fies 5 periods of disaster recovery. While every disaster is different, and there is overlap in these stages, this graphic adapts that framework on a case study of the Joplin, Mo recovery.
4 Debris
Removal Begins
6 /ĚĞŶƟĮĐĂƟŽŶ
of Temporary Housing Sites
9 ĞƐƐĂƟŽŶ ŽĨ
7 ZĞƐƚŽƌĂƟŽŶ
ŽĨ hƟůŝƚLJ Services
5 First public 3 ĞƐŝŐŶĂƟŽŶ
ŵĞĞƟŶŐ
Federal Aid for Debris Removal
Debris Lots 1 Preliminary
2 Disaster
Damage Assessment
ĞĐůĂƌĂƟŽŶ
RESTORATION EMERGENCY RESPONSE PRE - DISASTER This period is the most ideal for implemen ng a disaster recovery plan. A sustainable recovery will be most succesful if well-thought-out plans are already in place. This is also the me to think about disaster prepera on and recovery strategies for you and your family. Adequately preparing for a disaster can help make the circumstances of the post-disaster less challenging on your loved ones.
The emergency response stage typically lasts 1 - 15 days following a disaster. Based on the severity of the natural disaster, the Na onal Guard, local police and paramedics will be on the scene within hours of a disaster. In this stage, the affected community is forced to cope with loss and look to support for shelter, food, and other necessi es. This phase of recovery may feel overwhelming or chao c. It is important to seek aid as needed and keep loved ones nearby.
(Prior to Event)
There is an ini al restora on period from the me following the emergency response that deals with debris removal and a return of major infrastructure, roads, other services. Also, some evacuees may return during this period. Federal and state aid is s ll most likely required during this phase as many residents remain displaced. Eventually social and economic ac vi es retrun to a pace similar to pre-disaster levels and new buildings start to emerge throughout the community
(15 - 150 Days)
(1 - 15 Days)
Read about other disaster melines at associa onforsustainability.org
1
10
Sustainable Disaster Recovery Handbook
Schwab, Toppings, Eadie, Deyle, Smith. Planning for Post-Disaster Recovery and Reconstruc on (8,92,93)
11 Timeline
What to Expect A er a Disaster
Graphic is a work in progress 10 /ŵƉůĞŵĞŶƚĂƟŽŶ
of Long-Term Sustainable Strategies
RESOURCES CONTINUED GROWTH RECONSTRUCTION This period follows a more thorough restora on period, where residents begin to rebuild new homes and businesses and the community iden ty begins to reamurge. It is o en a slow process, ensuring the community is redeveloping appropriately. The city begins to rebuild its capital stock and social and economic ac vi es return. As more residents move back, the town readapts rou nes that occured prior to the disaster event, allowing for a return to normalcy.
(150 Days - 4 Years)
The community is no longer considered to be rebuilding; rather new developments are happening and the community is growing. The popula on has returned or perhaps surpassed pre-disaster levels. The community is stronger for having lived through the experience and the disaster, and visitors from other towns, or even states, come to hear about the recovery process and the strength from within the community.
(4 Years +)
1 HOLISTIC DISASTER RECOVERY www.colorado.edu/hazards/ Natural Hazards Center Revised 2005
2 PLANNING FOR POST DISASTER RECOVERY AND RECONSTRUCTION www.fema.gov/media-library/ American Planning Associa on Published 2013
3 REBUILDING AFTER DISASTERS: FROM EMERGENCY TO SUSTAINABILITY www.tandfonline.com Taylor and Francis Group Published 2010
4 COMPREHENSIVE GUIDE TO EMERGENCY, DISASTER PREPAREDNESS AND RECOVERY www.alastore.ala.org American Library Associa on
5 THE RED GUIDE TO RECOVERY www.theredguidetorecovery.com Authored by Sean M. Sco Published 2013
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Hugh and Ramona Sheilds
PICKING UP THE PIECES In the wake of the Joplin tornado, a host of local people have emerged as natural leaders by incorpora ng resilient and energy efficient design into their homes and businesses. Here are a couple of examples to give you an idea of the crea vity and commitment that has been a by-product of the change in Joplin’s landscape
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Hugh and Ramona Shields rode the storm out in their home the evening of May 22, 2011. Their house was destroyed around them, and they moved to a small rental home while they made plans to rebuild. A couple in their 60s, they made the decision to build for their children’s and grandchildren’s future. Hugh says, “I wanted to be seen by our children as looking ahead, and this is my way of paying it forward.” They contracted with a local builder with a lot of heart, but li le experience in green building, to construct a model of sustainability. Consul ng with an area expert in energy efficiency to design the house, they ended up with a super-insulated SIPs (Structural Integrated Panels) envelope, passive solar design in a beau ful home that
Sustainable Disaster Recovery Handbook
costs them about a dollar a day to heat and cool, as promised. Last winter they used no fossil fuels whatsoever to heat their home, relying solely on less than a cord of wood to get them comfortably through the cold season. What’s most inspiring about the Shields’ story is how they con nue to share their story with the media and visitors eager to learn from their experience. They are exceedingly generous with their me and host mee ngs and tours to extol the virtues of sustainable building. Says Hugh, “Sustainability is about being able to do this over and over again so that future genera ons can benefit the same way. For our part, we want our 10 grandkids to someday look back and say, ‘They got it right.’”
The Healing Process
Frank and Erika Schaffer Frank and Erika Schaffer and their then-5-year-old daughter had their home destroyed by the Joplin tornado, A er ge ng the family se led in temporary quarters, Frank, a local builder, constructed new homes for a dozen families before turning his a en on to rebuilding for his own family. We met Frank in April of 2012 when he contacted GreenTown looking for resources to help him make decisions about the kind of home he wanted to build. He devoured the informa on he found and ended up designing a home that qualifies for triple cer fica on: LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), Energy Star 3.0, and
NAHB (Na onal Associa on of Home Builders) Green Verifier. The Schaffer home, in addi on to being highly energy efficient and durable, offers a plethora of smart technologies. Frank has been commi ed from day one to sharing what he has learned about green building with area contractors and other interested folks. He took the ini a ve to partner with several companies to showcase their model technologies and green living products. A website was set up by one of the corporate partners detailing the home’s features. Frank’s careful planning culminated in a two-day open house and community block party when the home was completed in July of 2013.
Frank also helps out in other communi es hit by disaster, including Moore, Oklahoma where he served meals as part of Opera on Barbeque Relief in the days following that community’s devasta ng tornado in May of 2013. He joined three other representa ves from GreenTown Joplin who traveled to Oklahoma two months a er the tornadoes to par cipate in a Rebuilding Expo hosted by the City of Oklahoma City Office of Sustainability. author: Catherine Hart
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I became a smartphone user a er the tornado. I wasn’t even tex ng at the me. As those tools become more available, any person in a leadership role needs find a way to u lize those tools to provide informa on to the public.
INTERVIEW WITH STEVE HEWITT Steve Hewi was Greensburg’s City Administrator from 2006 - 2011. Steve managed the emergency and recovery efforts a er 95% the town was destroyed by an EF-5 tornado in May of 2007.
You are going to have quick decisions that you make every day from basic infrastructure to long term growth and recovery. If you make a mistake early, it will take longer to recover in the end. It is so cri cal that you get feedback from the commmunity.
Given your experience, what should community leaders know about disaster recovery?
What is the most impac ul thing that community leaders can do during disaster recovery?
One of the keys things that every leader needs to realize is that this is YOUR community which means you dictate the direc on. Don’t be afraid to say no, but don’t be afraid to ask ques ons either. Don’t be afraid to get more informa on. You are not going to know every li le detail and every support role. You will be hit with a lot of informa on and you’re going to have to ask a lot of ques ons. You are going to have to ask: “What don’t I know?” “What can you do to help?” “What is your exper se?”
Communica on is cri cal. You can never have enough informa on. Involving and engaging people in the recovery planning process from the beginning to the end is so important. In the end it’s not just an individual moving forward, it is the en re community. Go get informa on, go ask ques ons, and engage people in communica on.
Take learning experiences others have provided and mold it into what you feel is best for your community. Never be afraid to make a decision. Indecisiveness can be devasta ng. You must make a decision based on the best informa on you have at the me. I don’t say that to be hasty, but when you are faced with an important opportunity don’t be afraid of that opportunity. I think that you have to be fearless in what you’re doing. Leaders also have to have salesmanship. Every community wants to rally around something. They need to rally. It will tell them we’re going to recover, we’re going to be OK. It’s important that leadership recognizes what that is.
It is such a common sense thing to do, but it’s something that people in leadership posi ons overlook. The role of a leader in a disaster can be really overwhelming which is why communicateion and understanding can make the effort much more manageable. How frequently were public forums or mee ngs held a er the Greensburg tornado? We had a mul tude of mee ngs and charre es. Within a couple days of the tornado we had our first mee ng with over 600 people. We knew right away this community was very engaged and we had to do what we could to involve them. We did a lot, but we could have done be er. Techonology has advanced a lot since the Greensburg tornado. I wish we could have u lized social media, tex ng, and blackboard connect.
Read more from our interview with Steve at associa onforsustainability.org
Leadership is a balance. There are mes to listen, take in, and be responsive but there are mes to step out and take risks. Is that an Intui ve awareness? What are your thoughts on that? I would rather be tarred and feathered for pushing an idea. I know that in the end you don’t have to decide to go my direc on, but leaders can’t be afraid to fail. They can’t be afraid to have ideas. If we’re pushing sustainability and nobody wants to go sustainable, is that Okay. Sure its Okay. Does Greensburg recover? Probably. I don’t know if it recovers as successfully as it did, but I think it recovers, because people wanted to find a way to rebuild. Each decision affects the next decision that you make and you have to understand the challenges that are facing you. The challenge facing Greensburg was the fact that it was a geographically isolated community. The rebuild had to be a li le be er, a li le stronger, we had to do a li le more. Leaders have to be bold. Amazing things happen from boldness. In our case it was sustainability, in other disaster communi es it could be something totally different. Would you consider yourself visionary? Well, I didn’t really think I was prior to the tornado. I think what we did was common sense but in a bold way. In the end, city council could have said no, but they hired me to bring them ideas. ...Con nued online Interview recorded on August 26, 2013
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Sustainable Disaster Recovery Handbook
What to Expect A er a Disaster
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS Recycled nails, door knobs, and reclaimed lumber occupy a recycling plant in Eugene, Oregon. Images by Orbiter7, flickr Crea ve Commons
In a state of an emergency what happens to land ownership and debris? A natural disaster can drama cally change the landscape. Iden fying proper es may be difficult when debris piles are all that are le . You s ll own your property and the materials that were your home. However, in states of emergency, FEMA may declare certain proper es/ structures unsafe and a empt to restrict residents from occupying them.
Is there a Lost-and-Found service a er a disaster?
Will I be able to collect personal items from my home immediately a er a disaster?
Each community may organize lost-and-found services differently, ranging from a public board where residents can post informa on to u lizing internet-based services. Social networking websites can be a great tool to connect with fellow community members a er a trauma c experience. These tools can make the efforts of finding lost items much easier and do not take much effort to organize.
Safety is a top priority immediately a er a disaster. If the scale of the disaster is large, the Na onal Guard may be on site within hours to prevent people from occupying the area of destruc on. However, once a preliminary disaster assessment has been conducted and no hazards are present, local government will advise residents when they may return to their property and begin the process of sor ng and collec ng personal items.
Who will help me clean up?
What can I do to help salvage materials?
The scale of destruc on will influence the way in which FEMA responds to a disaster. In the case of the Greensburg tornado, the massive scale of destruc on prompted FEMA to provide debris removal as a free service to residents. When given that opportunity, most residents allowed FEMA to remove the debris from their property. It is far easier to reclaim materials from your property if you have help - from family members, volunteers, or neighbors - and if there is not a pressing deadline. You’ll do your best given your par cular situa on.
Community salvage efforts may be easy to ini ate if the right mindset is present. Collec ng materials such as bricks and wood is an important element of sustainable recovery and will preserve some meaningful ar facts for the future. If you are up to the task of salvaging materials from your own property - or ge ng help to do so - in the long run you will find you are glad to have gone through this effort. Having memories from your home may offer a sense of con nuity and may help in your recovery.
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The remains of the Kiowa County Library a er the Greensburg tornado in 2007. Books are exposed across an open sky and bookselves lie damaged, but the wood and paper remain rela vely intact. Photograph by Larry Schwarm 16
Sustainable Disaster Recovery Handbook
POST DISASTER CLEANUP
Cleaning up debris following a disaster is a daun ng task. Communi es need to remove the destruc on before other steps towards recovery. The amount of debris varies in events, but even a small disaster generates tons of waste. There are so many things to take into account when cleaning up, but how a community manages the process will have a significant impact on local residents and the natural environment. The easiest way for a community to deal with clean-up is to have a management plan in place beforehand. This helps emergency managers and city oďŹƒcials iden fy op ons for collec ng, recycling, and disposing of debris quickly
and eďŹƒciently. Many communi es don’t have a plan in place a er a disaster and are forced to figure out the clean-up as they are in the midst of it. It is natural for people to want to get debris out of the way quickly, but a li le bit of reflec on and planning can minimize the damage and expense. In this sec on, we outline: a typical clean-up, a case study of a debris management plan, the benefits and op ons of recycling or reusing debris material, and the benefits that a successful clean-up has on the community.
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5 REASONS TO SALVAGE MATERIALS 1 Why Waste Material? Salvaging prevents the unnecessary waste and transport of usable materials to the landfill. Salvaging creates a local source of building supplies and reduces demand for new materials.
2 Generate Revenue Many types of salvaged materials and products can be sold for scrap, resale, or even be reused by the owner at a later date which reduces the expense and environmental footprint of buying new products.
3 Temporary Employment Deconstruc on and salvaging prac ces can be incorporated into the recovery process and u lized as a means to generate temporary employment opportuni es.1 Depending on the amount of destruc on from a disaster, material salvaging and deconstruc on may take several months and require many laborers.
4 Marke ng and Incen ves ‘Building from salvaged materials can help owners, designers and construcon professionals market their new building. Deconstruc on and salvaging can be used to create a story about a new building’s environmentally conscious elements that piques poten al tenants’ or customers’ interest.’2
5 Perserving the Past The architectural value of old mber beams, weathered bricks, and other materials from destroyed historical buildings are may be reused in the crea on of new public buildings.
DECONSTRUCTION Another op on to consider in salvaging material is deconstruc on. Deconstruc on refers to the process of carefully dismantling buildings to salvage components and materials for reuse or recycling, most of which would otherwise end up in a landfill. Some structures may remain standing a er a disaster, but are slated for demoli on due to extensive damage. As a result, the danger of collapse may require a more stringent approach to salvaging materials than from a pile of
Learn more about salvaging and deconstruc on at associa onforsustainability.org
debris. However, deconstruc on may yield more valuable and usable materials and provide members of the community with temporary employment. Deconstruc on efforts will most likely require a cost benefit study and should be conducted by a professional contractor, architect, structural engineer, or a specialized non profit group. A strategy for a more effec ve deconstruc on may involve planning the reuse of the buildings materials before the deconstruc on process. For example, the remains of a greenhouse structure may be comprised of components and metals that have li le value for reuse in a different building type. A be er solu on than demoli on would be to reconstruct a new greenhouse out of the materials of the old greenhouse. 1
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(NAHB) Na onal Associa on of Home Builders Research Center
2
Construc on salvage and Recycling Toolkit, Metro. 2007
Post Disaster Clean up
PLANNING AHEAD Uncertainty of ownership and the rapid pace in which debris removal opera ons are undertaken displaces thousands of tons of reusable materials typically to the landfill. The most successful way to operate a sustainable recovery is to plan it before it happens. Enac ng ordinances to eliminate debris ownership limita ons during the final stages of the clean up process may encourage material salvaging throughout the city.
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers quality assurance inspector Joseph Aguirre (le ) consults with contractor Brandon Jewe (right). Crews begin to clear debris from a home in Joplin, Missouri. Images by U.S. Army Corp of Engineers on flickr Crea ve Commons
Establishing a comprehensive plan for dealing with disaster debris is a cri cal step towards disaster preparedness. Refer to the sec on tled “Long term recovery planning” for more detail in establishing a plan for your city.
RESOURCES 1 DEBRIS MANAGEMENT GUIDE
RESIDENTIAL CLEANUP Every community will have a slightly different process for dealing with debris removal. It is important to remain a en ve to the informa on and instruc ons being put forth by city and emergency management officials. It is the responsibility of the homeowner to sort and organize debris into specific piles along the public right of way for recycling and removal. This ini al effort of sor ng should be used to salvage materials located on your property you wish to save. Any material you wish to remain on your property for reuse or resale should be clearly piled away from the street or removed from the property and stored elsewhere if directed by city officials before contractors arrive.
Residents may be required to sign right of entry documents that grant access onto private property. Certain documents may allow volunteers to help clean-up and salvaging debris on your property. Others would allow private contractors to conduct debris removal from your property with machinery. Occasionally, these forms can cause confusion. While it is important to thoroughly read through any legal agreement you are signing, documents such as the Right of Entry forms do not allow government seizure of property and are in place to protect the rights of ci zens and to prevent liability on the part of the property owner, debris removal volunteers, and emergency management officials.
FEMA - 325 www.fema.gov published July 2007
2 DEALING WITH DEBRIS AND DAMAGED BUILDINGS EPA (Environmental Protec on Agency) www.epa.gov updated 2013
3 BUILDING MATERIALS REUSE ASSOCIATION www.bmra.org/lis ngs/browse-by-state created 2010
4 ALAMEDA COUNTY, CALIFOR NIA, DISASTER WASTE MANAGE MENT PLAN County of Alameda www.acgov.org published March 2010
5 GO GUIDE TO DECONSTRUC TION AND REUSE Delta Ins tute delta-ins tute.org published March 2011
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PlasƟc Containers
Scrap Metal
Plywood Sheets
Wooden Door Porcelain
2 Wood 1 Brick Bricks are small and easy to salvage by hand. They tend to survive natural disasters intact, and are a very common building material with a high potenƟal for reuse.
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Sustainable Disaster Recovery Handbook
Most wood can be collected and recycled into wood chips or shavings. These can be used for landscaping, or for the producƟon of plywood and oriented strand board (OSB). Felled trees can also be milled into new lumber. However, the most valuable wood is typically found in salvageable Ɵmber beams, joists, trusses, Ňooring, siding, cabinetry, and doors.
3 Concrete Concrete can be collected from old sidewalks, curbs, roads, foundaƟons, and concrete masonry units (CMU’s) used in wall construcƟon. This concrete can be crushed and reused in the producƟon of new concrete for rebuilding eīorts.
Post Disaster Clean up
Timber Beams
Concrete Blocks
Clay Bricks
DeconstrucƟon Opportunity
6 Other 4 Metals Most metals can be collected and sold as scrap. This will be recycled into the producƟon of new metals, no maƩer the condiƟon. Copper tubing, oŌen found in plumbing, is especially valuable and should be diverted from landĮlls as much as possible.
5 Furniture Intact furniture such as chairs, tables, stools, and shelves, can be collected, refurbished, and reused in new homes, or donated to a thriŌ store.
Porcelain, asphalt shingles, and glass are likely to be the most diĸcult and impracƟcal materials to salvage for reuse, but they can easily be diverted from the landĮll and collected for recycling.
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siding for the Greensburg school project. Unfortunately, the USGBC would not recognize the cypress wood as a reclaimed material since it was never previously installed on another building. In addi on, It was also not FCS cer fied since it was not harvested “sustainabily” so it didn’t meet those two LEED qualifica ons. Although, in the end, the school board, Superintendent Darin Headrick, and the design team loved the idea of taking wood from one natural disaster and pu ng it use in another.
INTERVIEW WITH NATHAN BENJAMIN Nathan Benjamin is the founder and CEO of PlanetReuse, a simple but revolu onary idea to make it easy for designers, builders and owners to use reclaimed materials and keep them out of landfills.
Does Planet Reuse use a screening process for iden fying what has value? Regarding salvaging materials, what advice would you give to a leader in a community recently recovering from a natural disaster? We have seen many scenarios where building materials were set aside thinking they would be able to be reused, but exposure to the elements makes it unusable within months a er se ng it outside. Try to recover as many materials as possible, but be though ul on how to store those materials a er you recover them from the disaster. Grab as many of the brick materials, the wood materials that are salvageable, and protect them with tarps or exis ng/temporary buildings and store them in a way that allows them to be reused. Clean it up quickly but you’ll want these materials later to built back the community. What salvaged materials are most likely to have value and what do you recommend? Our company predominately works on the reuse of the materials from taking the material out and using it as the same func on again. The most widely reused materials, even out of a natural disaster, are wood materials, brick work, pavers, wood beams, and some mes steel members, but typically steel is not able to be reused as beams because it is twisted or structurally damaged. However, It can s ll be recycled. In the con-
text of a natural disaster, It varies from the type of natural disaster, the type of building, and the content of the materials. In the Joplin school directly a er the tornado, there were perfectly good computers, desks, tables, chairs, lab equipment and large dimensional lumber pieces. What are your greatest success stories? One of our successes was the streetscape project in front of City Hall in Greensburg, Kansas. The brick material came out of a streetscape in Topeka. They were taking all the brick pavers out and it turned out to be a really good fit. Instead of being pushed into the hillside in Topeka they were able to be reinstalled into the Greensburg street scape. There was just short of 90,000 bricks that were moved for that project. Another interes ng project for us was the Greensburg School. The LEED Platinum requirements posed some challenges to the contractor and architect early on. In a way, the exterior siding of the project could be seen as a failure to some people and the greatest success story of the project to others. In 2005, Hurricane Katrina leveled a large number of cypress trees. They were knocked over, pushed aside, and fortunatley saved. We were able to work with a company that took those trees and had that wood milled into siding that become the
Read more from our interview with Nathan and see the sources behind the infographic at associa onforsustainability.org
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Sustainable Disaster Recovery Handbook
The value of an item varies depending on the quan ty, the age of the material, loca on, and the seller. A brick paver in good condi on is somewhere between 85 cents up to $1.15 a brick. Other bricks of lesser quality may be perfectly suitable for a project. You could find them for cheaper and if you sold 7 semi loads of brick the price goes down. The screening process will occur when there is interest in the product or when things have moved forward with a transac on of some sort. PlanetReuse is a broker and a consultant of reclaimed materials, so our role o en mes requires several team members and a reuse consultant becomes a part of the team for a specific project. The reuse industry is s ll not as reliable as buying new. You have people who sell something that may or may not be what they say it is. We don’t necessarily call it screening, but we do qualify who we are doing business with. We want to become that go-to source for qualifying materials that the architect and contractor can use more reliably. What separates Planet Reuse from other reuse organiza ons? Typically, reclama on providers have a lot of great wood products, but regional wood may be all they have. Planet Reuse offers a na onal approach to the same model, but we use those providers as a vendor and we have many vendors throughout the U.S. We have a na onal network that allows us to reach out to a lot of different vendors to find the materials... Con nued online Interview recorded on August 22, 2013
ON MAY 22, 2011 JOPLIN, MISSOURI WAS DEVASTATED BY AN EF-5 TORNADO
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3 Million
16,000
cubic yards of debris
truck loads
8,000
68 DAYS
destroyed homes and businesses
of debris removal
IN ORDER TO APPRECIATE THE SCALE OF REMOVING DEBRIS...
100 cubic yards
1 cubic yard
IF THE CITY COULD SALVAGE JUST
25%
10,000 cubic yards
3 MIL cubic yardss
10% OF THE DEBRIS FROM THE TORNADO...
30%
wood
300 ft3
other
of shingles
1500 ft3 of lumber
100 ft3
of metals
15%
masonry
15%
15%
2,480 sq ft average home size in 2011
metals
concrete 300,000 cubic yards
300 ft3
of concrete
300 ft3 of brick
THERE WOULD BE ENOUGH MATERIAL TO AID IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF APPROXIMATELY
1500 NEW HOMES
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During Hurricane Katrina, flood waters reached heights of 12-14 feet in certain areas. Elevated homes now occupy the lower 9th ward of New Orleans. image by infrogma on, flickr CC 24
Sustainable Disaster Recovery Handbook
REBUILDING A HOME
Home is a sacred place. It is paramount to our emo onal and physical needs. Losing a home is like losing our foo ng; our world is swept out from underneath us. Thus, the desire for a return to normalcy is a powerful feeling. However, rushing into a contract early on is not reccommended. Most people are not poised to rebuild their home during the course of their life mes and the challenge of it can be daun ng. On a posi ve note, designing and building a home can be a deeply sa sfying and joyful opportunity. What features of your previous home were important to you? What would you like to improve? When making design decisions during your rebuild process, always
consider what is best for the health and comfort of you and your family. Building a home is a major financial investment, usually the biggest of most people’s lives and the home you construct will likely be with you for a long me. If you have to wait 6 months or longer to research, learn, and prac ce due-diligence, it is worth the me spent. This is the me to rebuild your home to the best degree possible. Taking the me to learn about home building products will help ensure that your new home provides you with op mal benefits and sa sfac on.
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LOW COST TIPS FOR SU CC ESS One of the great myths of sustainability states that a green home is more expensive than a conven onally built home. However, small design considera ons can make a big dierence.
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Take advantage of solar heat gain from southern facing windows or thermal mass. Ideally, orienta on should be considered in the early stages of designing a home. However, if the house plan is set, simply rota ng the plan can have a significant impact on reducing utli y bills during the winter months. To ensure an op mally passive solar design strategy, consult a professional and u lize the links below.
A well designed home has the ability to make a small footprint feel spacious. The larger the interior volume of the house, the more that is required for hea ng and cooling. Op mizing the func onality of your floor plan can dramac cally reduce energy demand. U lizing an open floor plan increases daylight illumina on and allows you to easily heat and cool a few spaces instead of many. Subs tu ng a couple hundred square feet for higher quality materials adds more value and longevity to your home.
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-S EP T
-A UG
REDUCE SQUARE FOOTAGE
-O B JA N
FE
Learn about other low cost strategies at associa onforsustainability.org
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Sustainable Disaster Recovery Handbook
MAXIMIZE AIR CIRCULATION
CT
M AR
AP R
JU
N
E
YOUR HOME 1 ORIENT TO THE SOUTH
Air circula on is so important in maintaining a comfortable living environment. In many climates, passively cooling interior spaces is possible without the need for mechanical systems. Employing an air cirula on strategy in your home may be worth the upfront investment. Ceiling fans and whole-house fans can be adjusted to draw warm air up during summer months or push it down during the winter. On average, ceiling fans use one-tenth the electricity of an air condi oning unit.
Rebuilding ding A Home Ho ome o me
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PROGRAMMABLE THERMOSTAT
Small things can make a huge difference. A programmable thermostat can be set to automa cally reduce the hea ng and cooling load when you’re at work or during the night. Customize your hea ng and cooling system to cut down your energy bills. The cost of a programmable thermostat averages $100 and can be implemented in most mechanically controlled heat and air condi oning systems.
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INSTALL INSULATING BLINDS/AWNINGS
In the context of rebuilding an en re home, the cost of installing a few insula ng blinds is minuscule. Yet, these blinds can reduce heat loss/heat gain through windows. The applica on of awnings on the exterior of a window is designed to reduce solar exposure on the window pane during the summer, but not in the winter. Applying insula ng blinds or awnings to window assemblies requires knowledge of solar orienta on to be most effec ve.
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INVEST IN LEDS
LED (light emmi ng diode) lights are covered more thoroughly in the following chapters, but the impact of reducing ligh ng costs is huge! LEDs use 40% less energy than a standard incandescent bulb of the same wa age. In addi on, LED lights have a lifespan ranging from 10 - 20 years. If inves ng in LEDs all at once is too much of a burden, than consider purchasing one LED fixture every month un l your needs are met. Priori zing the ligh ng fixtures in your home is a very cost effec ve solu on as well. Iden fy which light fixtures are u lized the most and replace those fixtures with LEDs first.
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PRACTICAL BUILDING SYS T E M S The following list represents an overview of energy efficient building systems with an emphasis on prac cally and cost effec veness.
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Structural Insulating Panels (SIP)
SIPs are also prefabricated and modular. The panels are typically constructed with OSB board and laminated together with expanded polystyrene/polyurethane. SIP panels can be fairly large and are even used in the roof assembly. One of the more impac ul quali es of SIPs is the reduc on in thermal bridges throughout the en re building envelope. Effec veness High R-Value Low recyclability High embodied energy Non-biodegradable Low air infiltra on
Learn more about various wall systems at associa onforsustainability.org
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Sustainable Disaster Recovery Handbook
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Insulating Concrete Forms (ICF)
3
Wood Frame Double Wall
ICF’s are prefabricated, modular blocks that are stacked and interlocked together without mortar to form the outline of a home’s exterior and interior walls. Rebar is inserted along the plas c connectors and concrete is poured inbetween the blocks. The styrofoam acts as formwork for the concrete and serves as an effec ve insula on.
2x6 framing allows for a deeper wall cavity for insula on and allows studs to be placed 24” on center as opposed to the standard 16” on center in 2x4 frame construc on. The extra spacing from a double wall construc on reduces thermal bridging along the en re wall assembly. The extra strength of the 2x6 accounts for greater wind loads of the house as well.
Effec veness High R-Value Low recyclability High embodied energy Non-biodegradable Low air infiltra on
Effec veness Variable R-Value Higher risk for air infiltra on High on-site waste
Wall Systems
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Wood Block Systems: Stecko, HIB
European wood block systems have gained a lot of popularity in the last few decades, but unfortunately few have been built in the U.S. These systems are fast assembling, strong, and lightweight. Paired with densely packed blown in insula on, these wood blocks provide high R-values. The solid wood panels allow for greater ease in fastening cabinetry and other wall mounts. Effec veness Variable R-Value Low air infiltra on
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Poured in Place Concrete
Concrete is the strongest building material that is economically available in residen al construc on. What be er way to ensure your home is disaster proof while incorpora ng thermal mass into a building’s energy performance. Poured in place or cast in place (CIP) concrete is commonly used in the construc on of basement walls and founda ons.
Insulated Metal Frame
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Lightweight Concrete Blocks (AAC)
Although, steel frame and corrugated steel paneling are not typically used in residen al construc on, the structural benefits provide a great alterna ve for designing to withstand hurricane or tornado force winds. Aluminum is a highly conduc ve material, so pairing this building system with addi onal insula on is necessary to maintain be er thermal performance.
AAC (Autoclaved aerated concrete) blocks are lightweight, precast concrete masonary blocks that provide structure, insula on, fire and mold-resistance. With 20% the weight of standard CMU’s, AAC blocks are manufactured with air pockets in the concrete to drama cally increase the thermal insula on. AAC can be cast into floor and roof assemblies as well.
Effec veness Variable R-Value Low air infiltra on High embodied energy
Effec veness Variable R-Value Low air infiltra on High embodied energy
Effec veness Variable R-Value Low air infiltra on High on-site waste High embodied energy 1st Edi on Spring 2014
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Sustainable Disaster Recovery Handbook Published by Associa on for Sustainability Greensburg GreenTown GreenTown Joplin
Credits
Media Inquires
Editor-In-Chief Daniel Wallach
Editorial Inquires Jason Culbertson jason@greensburggreentown.org 620.723.2790
Editors Catherine Hart Joah Bussert Project Director & Design Lead Jason Culbertson Media Director & Idea Guy Jay Liebenguth Contributors Jana Schwartz, Ma Deighton, Sydney Menees, Aaron Chevalley, John Holten, Ruth Ann Wedel Special Thanks to our Interview Experts Steve Hewi Nathan Benjamin Lisa LaDue Alex Wilson
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Sustainable SustainableDisaster DisasterRecovery RecoveryHandbook Handbook
Adver sing Inquires Jay Liebenguth livewithjay@gmail.com 620.723.2790
Mailing Greensburg AďŹƒliate Silo Eco Home 402 South Sycamore Street Greensburg , KS 67054 620.723.2790 Joplin AďŹƒliate 3115 South Main #5023 Joplin, MO 64804 417.622.0612
MEASURES OF SUCCESS
We will consider this project a success if the Handbook: Provides hope, op mism, and inspira on to people going through disaster recovery. Move people that feel dispair to op mism and construc ve vision. Is easily accessible to people of a disaster area. Makes life easier for individuals, businesses, and municipali es in recovery. Encourages people to learn more about sustainability. Gains na onal recogni on by professionals involved in the field of disaster recovery. Dispels myths and raises awareness about the value of sustainability. Raises demand for sustainable products and services. Is easy to understand and enjoyable to read. Provides the best informa onal resources available. Strengthens the network of organiza ons working in disaster recovery. Stays current and relevant through a peer review process and feedback.
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A GUIDE TO RECOVERY AFTER DISASTER
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EDITION 1