FAQs • Butler County, PA • CivicEngage

What about the use of salvaged building materials for a project as a cost savings measure as well as environmental considerations? Is this a practical consideration?: Yes, if you can find local salvageable materials and use them in your structure, you will reduce the cost of construction. Care should be taken to select materials and products that are usable without too much time consuming preparation, such as the removal of hardware and fasteners (nails in wood which can destroy saw blades). You will discover that salvaged wood is typically of a higher quality than comparable wood available today.

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Green Building

1. Does it cost more to build with green products and materials?: There are many green products and materials that cost the same or even less than conventional ones. Even the higher priced items can end up saving you much more money in the long run through energy cost savings, etc. By blending the right mix of low-cost technologies with those that cost the same or more, it is possible to have a "green" building project that costs the same or even less than a conventional one.

2. What about the use of salvaged building materials for a project as a cost savings measure as well as environmental considerations? Is this a practical consideration?: Yes, if you can find local salvageable materials and use them in your structure, you will reduce the cost of construction. Care should be taken to select materials and products that are usable without too much time consuming preparation, such as the removal of hardware and fasteners (nails in wood which can destroy saw blades). You will discover that salvaged wood is typically of a higher quality than comparable wood available today.