Quote of the week.

"I see my path, but I don't know where it leads. Not knowing where I'm going is what inspires me to travel it."

-Rosalia de Castro, Galician writer

SAME/APWA February joint meeting.

The Greater Kansas City Post area of the Society of American Military Engineers (SAME) will hold their February joint meeting with the American Public Works Association (APWA) tomorrow, February 24th, 2010. Both SAME and APWA share core values of Environmental Stewardship and Sustainability making this an ideal event for PlanetReuse to spread the word about construction material reuse. At the February luncheon, Nathan Benjamin will be speaking about PlanetReuse and, "the business of matching reclaimed building materials with designers, builders, and owners to save money, serve LEED efforts and sustain the planet."

Click here if you would like more information on attending this event!

KU Studio 804 featured in Metropolis Magazine.

The design-build program at University of Kansas, Studio 804, gets a little media love in the February edition of Metropolis Magazine. Studio 804 allows architecture students to see more than just the design and build of a structure, but to also understand everything else they will encounter along the way. KU professor Dan Rockhill presents the 22 students with the opportunity to create more than just a cool house. Each project serves as, "a shining example of state-of-the-art sustainable design-and an illustration of the aesthetic and financial challenges sustainable design presents." As most projects for Studio 804 are of Midwest origin, it is only natural for weather and climate issues to come into play. The devastating tornado that struck Greensburg motivated its' townspeople to rebuild as a Green community which offered the perfect opportunity for a Green design-build project. The strict LEED Platinum standards that the city council mandated for any municipally owned building over 4,000 square feet presented a challenge but nothing that Rockhill's studio couldn't handle. In one years' time Kansas had it's first LEED Platinum building in the form of a, "sleek modular arts center," that Governor Kathleen Sebelius praised and Studio 804 could proudly call their own. Read the article in it's entirety here and check out more work from Studio 804!

Rock chalk!

USGBC Chicago Chapter Event: "Deconstruction: Why, How, Now?"

February 23rd, Nathan Benjamin will be speaking at another USGBC event in Chicago. Fellow speakers will include Dave Hampton, President of the Urban Habitat Chicago and Echo Studio, and Elise Zelechowski, Deputy Executive Director of the Delta Institute. Here is a little bit of information on the topic of discussion which will be, "Deconstruction: Why, How, Now?"

"Deconstruction, the process of carefully dismantling a building in order to salvage components for reuse, results in products for sale, a trained labor force, and improved environmental quality by keeping air and water cleaner while diverting thousands of tons of material from overtaxed landfills. This panel discussion will cover deconstruction in various aspects, from WHY it is important to utilize methods of deconstruction over a traditional demolition process, HOW it is done, and NOW covering projects and resources available to facilitate deconstruction."

If you would like more specific information on attending this event, click here. See you there!

USGBC Central Plains Event: "Materials Recycling Practices - Commercial & Residential."

The Central Plains Chapter of the United States Green Building Council (USGBC) will be hosting an event titled, "Materials Recycling Practices - Commercial and Residential," on March 5th at Studio Dan Meiners. Speaking at this event will be Nathan Benjamin, Principal + Founder of PlanetReuse, Brian Alferman, Associate Director of Habitat Restore, Brent Kroh, Vice President of Elmwood Reclaimed Timber and Christian Arnold, Principal at Clockwork. The following topics will be addressed by the speakers at the event:

-Common materials used in sustainable projects.

-Unique or new-to-market materials and applications.

-Tools and methods to ensure proper documentation for LEED certification application and approval.

-Project examples and local Case Studies.

As a great example of the topic being discussed, the soon to be opened headquarters of Studio Dan Meiners was designed by Clockwork, was constructed by ARC Construction and incorporated many reused and recycled materials provided by PlanetReuse. There will be tours provided immediately following the panel discussion. If you are interested in attending this great event, click here for more information. See you there!

PlanetReuse featured in Greenability Jan/Feb '10 issue.

PlanetReuse was featured in the article titled "7 Recycled and Reused Sources For Home Remodeling," of the Kansas City publication Greenability. The article features the seven top places in the area to turn to for donating old building materials or picking up some new gems for your home. The following is the section on PlanetReuse.

"If you are looking for a specific piece or materials, check out PlanetReuse, a unique source for the green remodeling project. The company sells from a website with listings of reused and recycled materials from around the country. The beauty of the site lies in the matchmaking service it provides for free. If you do not see the material you are looking for in the listing, PlanetReuse can find it, at no charge. By simply placing a request, you will be guided through the process, have samples sent to your door, and even generate Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) documentation for your project.

'PlanetReuse is trying to connect a disconnected industry by thinking outside the box,' says Nathan Benjamin, principal and founder. 'We go beyond flooring and wood products into stone, bricks, light fixtures, steel and any and all materials that can be reused.'

Look at the materials listing, make a request for something specific and get your reusable materials sold by visiting PlanetReuse at www.planetreuse.com, or call 816-298-7947."

If you would like to read the entire Greenability article titled, "7 Recycled and Reused Sources For Home Remodeling," check out the PlanetReuse Facebook group in the 'Group Photos' section!

PlanetReuse on Interior Design magazine's online "Buyers Guide"

PlanetReuse can now also be found at our newest web location: Interior Design magazine's online "Buyers Guide." The online Buyers Guide provides the ultimate way to search for material/product specs and contact information conveniently in the same location. The search-ability on their site is amazing allowing the user to search their A-Z database by product/material, region, or name of company. This website makes it simple for the user to easily be able to find what they are after with virtually no-hassle. Its all there at, "the essential product search."

Next time you are browsing through the Buyers Guide database of companies, products, and designer binders, scroll on over to the PlanetReuse page!

KC Business Magazine's "Rising Stars" - Inaugural Edition.

In the latest volume of the KC Business Magazine, 44 brilliant business minds were featured as the people-to-watch, or, "Rising Stars" of the KC metro area. Of the group, 4 were chosen to grace the special-edition covers of the magazine. Among the 4 was PlanetReuse's own Nathan Benjamin along with Aaron Mesmer of Block LLC, Jason Grill of King Hershey PC, and Laura Lake of Laura Lake Consulting. To learn more about the "Rising Star" inaugural edition and the selection process, continue reading.

"They are young, ambitious and driven. They are the bright minds that push their organizations to do more, go farther and think bigger. They are the rising stars of business in Kansas City. And they are all on the fast track to the top.

How do we know? Because every person honored in our first-ever KC Business' Rising Stars class has already demonstrated his or her ability to steer around obstacles, overcome challenges and seize opportunities on the path to prosperity. The people featured in the pages that follow know where they are going and what it takes to get there. They represent the future of Kansas City business and ensure that future is going to be a bright one.

But this section isn't just about them, it's about you, as well. We asked our class members to share the secrets to their success so that you, too, can find a way to the top. Our Rising Stars cited loyalty, perseverance and commitment as key attributes to business prosperity. They advise peers to 'create happiness for others, contribute in a value-added way and be prepared for every encounter.'

It's a foregone conclusion that you will hear more from these men and women in the near future, but consider this your introduction."

To continue reading the entirety of this month's volume of the KC Business Magazine, click here and scroll to Scribd page 28 (or page 26 in the KC Business. *Note: The uploaded Scribd cover is just one of the four optional covers from the current volume, or special edition, of the publication.

Tim Southwell joins team PlanetReuse!

PlanetReuse welcomes Tim Southwell as its newest family member. Tim, also a USGBC LEED AP, recently moved back to the KC Metro area from Montana where he operated his own green building consulting firm. As a RESNET Green rater, Tim spent a majority of his time working on independent energy audits as well as assisting architects with pre-certifying designs to meet and exceed Energy Star Home standards. He has a background in Construction Management and Green Building care of Colorado State University.

Please take the time to visit our website and welcome Tim to the team by shooting him a note directly: tsouthwell@planetreuse.com.