Item Description:
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Neg various agmts for building material reuse services, 01/01/27-12/31/28, total NTE $600,000
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Resolution:
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BE IT RESOLVED, that the County Administrator be authorized to negotiate the following Agreements for building material reuse services, including deconstruction services, material collection events, and training and education, for the period of January 1, 2027 through December 31, 2028, with a total not-to-exceed amount of $600,000:
• Agreement PR00008830 with The NetWork for Better Futures, dba Better Futures Minnesota, in an amount not-to-exceed $369,800;
• Agreement PR00008841 with WholeCycle, LLC, dba LumberStash, in an amount not-to-exceed $100,000;
• Agreement PR00008845 with Meyer, Scherer & Rockcastle, Ltd., dba MSR Design, in an amount not-to-exceed $114,620;
• Agreement PR00008844 with the National Association of the Remodeling Industry of Minnesota, Inc., in an amount not-to-exceed $15,580; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that following review and approval by the County Attorney’s Office, the Chair of the County Board be authorized to sign the Agreements on behalf of the County; and that the Controller be authorized to disburse funds as directed.
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Background:
Increasing the reuse of construction and demolition waste is one of the highest impact zero-waste actions identified in the Hennepin County Solid Waste Management Plan.
The county works to divert building materials from landfills by promoting and incentivizing deconstruction and the installation of used building materials. The county has been recognized for creating a strong foundation for Minnesota’s growing building material reuse market.
The county released an RFP in July 2026 for building materials reuse services. Four proposals were selected to provide deconstruction services, collect building materials at city collection events, deliver education and outreach to commercial architect and design teams, and provide education to residents and contractors to further broaden the county’s efforts.
Hennepin County has contracted for deconstruction services since 2011 to divert materials from landfills while providing workforce development opportunities for people facing barriers to employment.
Deconstruction is essentially construction backwards - carefully disassembling and extracting materials from a building to reuse in other projects or recycle.
In Minnesota, 1.6 million tons of construction and demolition waste from building projects are landfilled annually. Approximately 75% of this waste could have been reused or recycled. Deconstruction prevents usable materials from going to landfills, makes used building materials available to the community, creates jobs, and supports local reuse retailers. Incorporating used building materials into projects reduces carbon emissions associated with new materials, increases demand for used building materials, and supports local reuse retailers.
The climate benefits of deconstruction come largely from avoiding the need for new materials. Creating new building materials requires energy - to harvest raw material, process it, manufacturer it into new products, transport it and sometimes to use it. Eighty percent of the emissions attributed to buildings are embodied emissions from the materials used to build them, while operating buildings accounts for 20% of the building’s emissions. Despite these benefits, deconstruction remains more expensive than mechanical demolition.
Current Request: This request is to authorize the County Administrator to negotiate the following building material reuse service agreements during the period of January 1, 2027, through December 31, 2028, with a total amount not to exceed $600,000:
• Better Futures Minnesota - $369,800 to provide deconstruction, collection, and reuse services for used building materials
• LumberStash - $100,000 to provide deconstruction services
• MSR Design - $114,620 to provide building material reuse education and training to commercial sector architects, designers, and contractors
• National Association of the Remodeling Industry of Minnesota - $15,580 to provide building material reuse education and outreach to residents and contractors
Impact/Outcomes: The deconstruction and building material reuse services funded under these agreements will expand and create new viable markets for reusable and recyclable building materials and divert valuable resources from the trash. These agreements will result in the annual deconstruction of approximately 25 buildings, the collection of used building materials at 14 city events, and education for about 250 people.
These agreements also support the county’s zero waste and climate action goals. Construction and demolition waste is a large waste stream - potentially equal to the amount of trash and recycling generated from homes and businesses. Additionally, building materials have the highest climate impacts of any single material. Reducing the climate impacts of buildings through salvaged building materials and diverting waste for reuse is an important way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions associated with the built environment.
This request funds services that are: mandated
recommendation
Recommendation from County Administrator: Recommend Approval