Research has shown that 40% of solid waste comes from construction and demolition (C&D) projects, and the current building material reuse rate is less than 1% of total C&D waste. Lifecycle Building Center (LBC) is a local nonprofit in southwest Atlanta that diverts usable building materials from landfills and directs them to local communities.                     

This summer, our Serve-Learn-Sustain interns, Jackie Zong and Taylor Campbell, both worked at LBC on a deconstruction workforce training project and a Community Reuse Toolkit funded through an EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) grant. Both projects were developed using an asset-based community development approach, which was aided by Jay Basset and Dr. Jenny Hirsch. In short, rather than looking at problems within the community, we identify and mobilize existing, often unrecognized, community assets that can benefit local residents. Jackie and Taylor also supported daily operations of the warehouse, including general customer service, soft strip pickups and deconstruction, material donation receiving/processing, etc. Throughout the process, they also had a chance to speak with many asset-based, community-facing organizations, such as City of Atlanta, Grove Park Foundation, West Atlanta Watershed Alliance, Georgia STAND-UP, etc., to learn how each organization can contribute and benefit from the project. We are happy to have them here today to talk to us through their journey.

Taylor: “After taking a few Serve-Learn-Sustain affiliated classes, I knew that I wanted to have a sustainability focus to my future career. When I applied to this internship program, I was unsure on how I could positively contribute to these organizations. Lifecycle Building Center helped me determine how my skills could impact their company. This summer Shannon Goodman, the Executive Director of LBC, allowed me to write LBC’s weekly newsletter and post on their social media platforms. She even asked me to write a communications guide for all future Administrative Coordinators the organization may have in the future. Having the opportunity to do this for an organization that is so important to the community was surreal because I felt like I was making a significant impact on LBC’s customers.

Aside from my communications knowledge, I was introduced to a whole new world of sustainability and the interconnectivity of nonprofit organizations in Atlanta. As mentioned, Jackie and I had the opportunity to work with other nonprofits while they helped us develop our projects. I learned about each organization and how they are devoted to serving their communities and creating a more sustainable and equitable city. 

Working at Lifecycle Building Center has encouraged me to pursue an MBA in Marketing so that I can develop my organizational communication skills and work with other nonprofit organizations in the future. I have already started becoming more involved with Serve-Learn-Sustain by enrolling in the Building for Equity and Sustainability Vertically Integrated Project.”

Jackie: “I have always been passionate about sustainability in the built environment. Last semester, when I was doing a sustainable design competition, my team explored the concept of using reclaimed materials to reduce the carbon impact. We used the Kendeda Building as a model, where Lifecycle Building Center supplied expertise in deconstruction and material reclamation during the construction phase. That was how I first got to know LBC. Then I was fortunate enough to start an internship with them and learn more about deconstruction and community outreach through the Serve-Learn-Sustain program.

During the summer, I went on a couple of deconstruction jobs, where I helped the LBC crew deconstruct cabinets, doors, floors, and many other reusable building materials and bring them back to the warehouse, where community members could purchase them at a discounted price. What I loved the most was that I could see the direct impact I made in the community. There were times when we brought a set of cabinets back to the warehouse in the morning, and it got sold in the afternoon. Residents in westside neighborhoods have faced gentrification, equity theft, and environmental racism for a long time. With our partnership with Grove Park Foundation, West Atlanta Watershed Alliance, and other community organizations, we were able to use these reusable materials to help these legacy residents improve livability and home efficiency as part of a broader mission to create a green, equitable, circular economy within Atlanta.

Throughout the internship, I was able to expand my knowledge in reuse and deconstruction. Moreover, I was able to connect with other Serve-Learn-Sustain interns and many professionals in Atlanta’s “green circle.” As a future engineer, I understand how important it is to think about a project’s lifecycle and how to co-design with local communities. These are skills I can use for a lifetime. After the summer internship, I decided to keep supporting LBC as a part-time intern and stay connected with Serve-Learn-Sustain.”