Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Here’s how you know

Dot gov

Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

HTTPS

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock (LockA locked padlock) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

    • Environmental Topics
    • Air
    • Bed Bugs
    • Cancer
    • Chemicals, Toxics, and Pesticide
    • Emergency Response
    • Environmental Information by Location
    • Health
    • Land, Waste, and Cleanup
    • Lead
    • Mold
    • Radon
    • Research
    • Science Topics
    • Water Topics
    • A-Z Topic Index
    • Laws & Regulations
    • By Business Sector
    • By Topic
    • Compliance
    • Enforcement
    • Laws and Executive Orders
    • Regulations
    • Report a Violation
    • Environmental Violations
    • Fraud, Waste or Abuse
    • About EPA
    • Our Mission and What We Do
    • Headquarters Offices
    • Regional Offices
    • Labs and Research Centers
    • Planning, Budget, and Results
    • Organization Chart
    • EPA History

Breadcrumb

  1. Home
  2. Sustainable Materials Management

Deconstruction Manuals for Construction and Demolition (C&D) Projects

Image of Chartwell School Assembly
Chartwell School in Seaside, CA, supports adaptation and disassembly. It has nail-free paneling, exposed connection systems and utility raceways above lockers to simplify future upgrades.


The below manuals provide guidance on designing buildings to facilitate deconstruction and deconstructing buildings to reduce the disposal of reusable C&D materials.

 

  • Design for Deconstruction Manual (pdf) (1.32 MB)
    This handbook presents an overview of basic Design for Deconstruction principles, and outlines the implementation of these principles in the design of Chartwell School in Seaside, California.
  • Residential Deconstruction Manual (pdf) (309.41 KB)
    In 2001, Stardust Non-Profit Building Supplies, Inc. sought and received a $40,000 grant from the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to develop a formal program and process for deconstructing and recovering reusable construction and home improvement materials, as well as educating homeowners and the construction industry on the benefits of reuse.

Sustainable Materials Management

  • Basics
  • Built Environment
  • Circular Economy
  • Electric Arc Furnace Slag
  • Electronics
  • Food
  • Industrial Non-Hazardous Secondary Materials
  • Packaging
  • Plastics
  • Recycled-Content Products
  • Recycling Economic Information Report
  • SMM Tools
  • Past SMM Webinars
Contact Us About Sustainable Materials Management
Contact Us to ask a question, provide feedback, or report a problem.
Last updated on January 16, 2025
  • Assistance
  • Spanish
  • Arabic
  • Chinese (simplified)
  • Chinese (traditional)
  • French
  • Haitian Creole
  • Korean
  • Portuguese
  • Russian
  • Tagalog
  • Vietnamese
United States Environmental Protection Agency

Discover.

  • Accessibility Statement
  • Budget & Performance
  • Contracting
  • EPA www Web Snapshot
  • Grants
  • No FEAR Act Data
  • Plain Writing
  • Privacy
  • Privacy and Security Notice

Connect.

  • Data
  • Inspector General
  • Jobs
  • Newsroom
  • Regulations.gov
  • Subscribe
  • USA.gov
  • White House

Ask.

  • Contact EPA
  • EPA Disclaimers
  • Hotlines
  • FOIA Requests
  • Frequent Questions
  • Site Feedback

Follow.