Green builders score at Boneyard NW

Metro’s BoneyardNW, an online portal to used commercial building materials, is helping Portland-area contractors save money, resources and time. While Portland has several retail outlets for used residential construction, BoneyardNW is the only service of its kind aimed at commercial builders.

Building demolition and construction materials represent 20 percent of the region’s waste stream, according to Bryce Jacobson, senior
waste planner for Metro. BoneyardNW uses Construction Specifications Institute categories familiar to those in the industry. The site resembles an online catalogue rather than a classified ad.

The region’s growing green building sector has helped drive the site‘s growth, Jacobson says. By providing an arena for selling and buying used materials, BoneyardNW improves builders’ ability to earn the LEED Materials and Resources credit for reusing or recycling materials.