Giving new life to flooded homes

PRESERVING valuable materials from the region’s flooded homes has been at the forefront of community concern, and a new initiative aims to address the issue.

The NSW Reconstruction Authority (RA) has unveiled plans to recycle and reuse building materials and record the historical and cultural significance of homes purchased under the $790 million Resilient Homes Program.

The RA says for homes that cannot be relocated, where it is economically viable, materials will be salvaged and recycled as much as possible to reduce landfill.

RA acting CEO Mal Lanyon said the community was interested in what happens next with buyback homes.

“The two trials will help determine how best to preserve the heritage of the community by clarifying what materials can be recycled and reused from buyback homes and minimise the amount of waste going to landfill,” Mr Lanyon said.

Parliamentary Secretary for Disaster Recovery Janelle Saffin said the Northern Rivers was being transformed under programs like the Resilient Homes Program and Resilient Lands Program.

“But it is important to reuse and recycle materials where we can and preserve the memories of what we are taking away as well,” she said.

Work is underway on two trials involving the RA, Living Lab Northern Rivers, the RA’s home removal contractor, and a regional recycling expert, to identify cost-effective and efficient ways to recycle homes bought back through the Resilient Homes Program.

A timber recycling trial, led by UTS School of Design associate professor Berto Pandolfo, involves the demolition of two buyback homes and the identification of any timber that has potential to be reused.

A recycling trial will test the cost-effectiveness of separation methods for reuse on residential and commercial projects. This trial will inform the framework for recycling future buyback homes.

In addition, the RA and Living Lab Northern Rivers will partner on the Living Memory project, which will record the historical and cultural significance of character buyback homes and their surrounding areas.