BuiltWorlds Features Cook County Building Material Recycling in their latest SmartWorlds Video

BuiltWorlds is a multi-platform media network committed to fostering a better built future.  Their SmartWorlds video series explores the development of smart cities — from sustainability in infrastructure and building design to the implementation of innovative products and technologies.  In the latest episode on SmartWorlds, they look into the large waste and building material reuse problem in our built environment. The building industry in the United States is responsible for an estimated 350 million tons of construction debris flowing into landfills per year.

Archeworks, a design school based in Chicago, is leading the charge to expand the building material reuse marketplace. Through a collaboration with the Cook County Department of Environmental Control, the Building Material Reuse Association, the ReBuilding Exchange, and leading design firms, this intensive research and design project explores the barriers and opportunities for reuse that exist in current design culture and public policy, and proposes expanding the reuse economy by re-envisioning architectural practice and the built environment. This episode features a panel discussion with the key players leading this sustainable approach, including Cook County Chief Sustainability Officer Deborah Stone. Link to Video