RE-USE Consulting promotes full building disassembly or 'building deconstruction', but we prefer to move structures intact or in sections whenever possible.
Moving a structure diverts 90%+ from the landfill and preserves the 'embodied energy' that exists in the intact structure or assembly.
Embodied energy refers to the various forms of energy used to create the structure.
Demolition not only requires energy to clear the site, but it results in an almost total loss of the embodied energy stored there. This is why we say 'move it or lose it'.
Buildings can also be broken down into parts or sections (Post-Fabs) and reassembled somewhere else or parts of structures like a decorative bay window or cuppola can be saved intact for reuse.