Roy Hunter, a contractor and environmentalist started Second Use after becoming frustrated with the amount of materials he saw getting thrown away on construction sites. He pooled finances with a few family members and leased an empty 2-acre field in Woodinville, Washington as the site of the first store. The first inventory consisted of salvaged lumber and beams from the demolition of a Fred Meyer store in north Seattle. Second Use has been reclaiming building materials for reuse in the Puget Sound region since 1994.

Second Use Founder Roy Hunter

In 1997, the Seattle store opened in its current location on Second Avenue South in the South Park neighborhood. Second Use has been recognized for ongoing growth and achievement in the community. In 2006, it was a winner of the Seattle Mayor’s Small Business Award. In 2007, it received the Washington State Recycling Association’s “Recycler of the year – business primary” award.

Online Inventory Search

Whether you are a homeowner, business owner, or contractor Second Use can help you find a greener way to approach your next remodel or demolition. If you have a project you’d like to discuss, please contact our field crew. If you have materials you’d like to bring in, see our acceptance policies and/or visit our store. You can also learn more about our salvage services by exploring the links.

I hope you will visit Second Use either online or in person. Try the calculator:

Find out how much re-using materials can save the environment in real world terms:

• Lbs of CO₂ averted
• Days a fluorescent bulb could stay lit
• Miles a SUV could drive

Love your comments, Faith

This morning I was happy to read commentsby John Caulfield. He cites a recent survey by Harvard’s Joint Center for Housing Studies that “aging rental stock, rising immigrant populations, and increasing demand for energy efficiency will drive a sector in transition”.

Information gathered in this survey suggests the correction in the remodeling industry is likely to be far less serious that the overall housing market. On a positive note, the opportunities for remodeling look strong but may not be big ticket projects, but projects that aim to maintain and upgrade the efficiency of a home.

There are nearly 130 million homes “that require maintenance and adjustments to meet changing preferences and lifestyles”. The survey identifies three growth segments:

• Foreign-born Households: in 2007 these households spent $23 billion on improvements. As this population segment increases so will home improvement projects.
• Rental Market: the US rental stock is 36 years with a dire need for improvements.
• Green Renovation: homes built before 1970 consume 40% of residential energy. These homes are a prime market for energy efficient upgrades.