(pronounced un-BILD)

In the high-flying times, people are more likely to purchase an older and/or smaller home and just tear it down in an instant to make room for something newer and bigger. With people holding onto their wallets more tightly and with the increasing focus on sustainable issues like energy conservation and waste reduction, more homeowners and homebuyers are realizing the advantages of “unbuilding” rather than tearing down. Though it takes more time (i.e., money) to carefully disassemble a house than to use a bulldozer to wipe a lot clean, the salvageable parts can be incorporated into the owner’s new home, donated to non-profit organizations, and/or sold to rebuilding centers, who then resale them to the public and contractors. The bonus side effect is that less waste makes it to your local landfill.