As a practicing CPA of 19 years, mid-February is when I question my career choices as days disappear in tax and appraisal work with very little sleep. My experiences preparing work for IRS review carries over to my appraisal practice in critical ways.
Nonprofits, charities, churches, and governmental entities need charitable contributions to support their missions and operations. Whether educating children, helping families move into homes, providing drug treatment programs, delivering computers to young learners, and the many other worthy endeavors too lengthy to enumerate.
The practice of architectural preservation and green design is not a new concept to those in the business of practicing sustainable architecture methods. Both practices seek to minimize negative environmental impacts by choosing to reduce, reuse, and recycle building materials. Architects employing greater sustainability practices can often benefit considerably when they take into account the opportunities that lay in the construction and demolition (C & D) phase of the design process.
Are you a commercial property owner facing the daunting task of orchestrating a corporate clean-out or remodel? Are there perfectly reusable furnishings, appliances, desks, computers, cubicles, or cabinetry slated to be discarded now or in the future? Would you be open to learning the benefits of waste diversion and contributing to make this world a safer, greener place for generations to come? Would you also potentially like to save money in the process and feel good about your business choices?
Deconstruction is the purposeful and careful disassembly of a building so as to salvage construction materials and property suitable for reuse. The mandatory deconstruction of buildings has been implemented in cities like Portland, Oregon mandating full deconstruction for houses built in 1916 or earlier or are designated historic. The drafted resolution outlines reasons for implementation including:
The Environmental Protection Agency created a valuable publication entitled “Design for Deconstruction.” The aim of this article is to add our observations of industry practice using the ample research produced and presented in their publication and others, especially with respect to the use of concrete in buildings. The publication presents startling statistics including: