Scaling Reclaimed Lumber Sales & Procurement Through Web and App-Based Technology

This project aims to expand the sales and procurement of reclaimed lumber and building materials online, helping to secure the reclaimed lumber industry as a leader in the circular economy. By studying the barriers to listing and purchasing these materials online, we will develop the platform architecture for a new web and app-based platform. The ultimate goal is to create a platform that facilitates the reduction of embodied carbon in buildings through the purchase of reusable materials. The mission of PRLS is to promote and grow the reuse and remanufacturing of reclaimed lumber and materials from the built environment leading to a reduction of solid waste and climate emissions. To accomplish this, PRLS connects deconstruction contractors, reuse retailers, and upcyclers with sustainability-minded architects, contractors, and other industry buyers. The U.S. reclaimed lumber industry is poised to become an $11 billion industry by 2030, but could strive for a more ambitious goal with increased sales efficiency. The construction industry currently disposes of over 27 million tons of wood waste annually, much of which could be salvaged through deconstruction. Reclaimed lumber offers significant environmental benefits, reducing climate emissions by up to double compared to disposal, and sequestering embodied carbon for 50-100 years when reused. However, for the reclaimed lumber industry to meaningfully reduce national waste, it must scale up operations and sales. A key step will be making reclaimed lumber inventories more accessible online, which is currently a challenge. Our goal is to create a simple, trustworthy listing and sales process for sellers and a straightforward, consistent purchasing experience for buyers. Using the existing Pacific Reclaimed Lumber & Supply (PRLS) marketplace as a test case, we will solicit user feedback on the listing process and survey them on their experiences with other subscription platforms. This data will be analyzed and used to model a platform architecture meeting the complex needs of both listers and buyers.