A product featuring recycled content has been partially or
entirely produced from post-industrial or post-consumer
waste. The incorporation of waste materials from industrial
processes or households into usable building products reduces
the waste stream and the demand on virgin natural resources.
By recycling materials, the embodied energy they contain is
preserved. The energy used in the recycling process for most
materials is far less than the energy used in the original
manufacturing. Aluminum, for example, can be recycled for
10–20% of the energy required to transform raw ore into
finished goods.2
Key building materials that have potential
for recycling include glass, plastics, metals, concrete or brick,
and wood. These generally make up the bulk of a building’s
fabric. The manufacturing process for all of these materials
can easily incorporate waste products. Glass, plastics, and
metal can be reformed through heat. Concrete or brick can be
ground up and used as aggregate in new masonry. Lumber
can be resawn for use as dimensional lumber, or chipped for
use in composite materials such as strand board.