Managing Surplus Property for Reuse: Options & Getting Started Mark Lennon & Gary Lowe

1. Managing Surplus Property for Reuse: Options & Getting Started Mark Lennon & Gary Lowe IRN – The Recycling Network ACUHO-I Sustainability Webinar March 25, 2013

2. Surplus Property Surplus is an issue for every school • Replacement • Renovation • Demolition • Stored inventory • Day-to-day attrition

3. Surplus Property Options Internal reuse Resale Local donation National & international relief and development

4. 1. Internal Reuse • Internal ebay • Items posted to school-wide network • Typically no cost to recipient • Filene’s Basement Warehouse • Warehouse with or without electronic posting of new acquisitions • If stuff doesn’t get picked up, it goes away DANGER !! The Dead-End or Conveyor Belt Warehouse

5. Internal Reuse • Advantages • Significant savings in new purchase $$ • The common sense enviro/sustainability solution • Disadvantages • Requires active, competent management • Requires active, competent staff • Not a complete solution - What to do with the stuff that doesn’t get picked up? • Not applicable to major turnover (e.g., renovation, dorm furniture)

6. Internal Reuse Example: Arizona State https://webapp3.asu.edu/spms/public.aspx • Active warehouse for internal redeployment • Warehouse open to public • Ebay-like public auctions • Not simple: User IDs, login (internal & public), sophisticated auction, $$ transactions

7. 2. Resale Warehouse, Auction, or Electronic Sale Warehouse • Open to public. Regular hours. • Advantages • Keeps stuff local. Makes some $$ • Disadvantages • Space. Time. Marketing. Inventory management. Enterprise management. Handling money. • Not a complete solution. Example: UNC Chapel Hill (many state schools)

8. Resale Auction / Electronic Sale Often combined with warehouse • Physical • Sort & establish lots. Establish schedule. Arrange inspection. Manage auction. • Electronic • By lot or single item • Create or purchase software. Establish lots. Post and manage auctions. Manage pickup or shipment (yuck).

9. Resale Auction / Electronic Sale • Advantages • Revenue • Off-the-shelf software or apps (e.g., Craigslist) • Mix good with bad to get rid of a lot • Disadvantages • Complex: Lots of management & staff time, esp. in getting started • Not a complete solution: What to do with stuff that doesn’t sell, and/or large quantities Example: Northern Kentucky

10. 3. Local Donation Every city has hundreds of potential outlets for surplus Churches Schools Homeless shelters Social service organizations (halfway houses, group homes, etc.) Low-income residents and service providers

11. Local Donation How to Manage • Direct contact: Phone calls, wish lists • Email and/or Website • Periodic ‘open house’ • Advantages • Supports local communities & needs • Great public relations • Disadvantages • High maintenance • Works if one or a few do it, not if all do it • Right time, right stuff issues • Not a complete solution

12. Local Donation Example: Harvard University www.uos.harvard.edu/fmo/recycling/newsletter/08/september.shtml Fenced area set aside for surplus, away from main campus. Weekly ‘open house’ – Nonprofits, schools, etc. can come in and take surplus at no cost. First-come, first-served. Recipients provide labor and transportation. Works for Harvard. What about BC, BU, NEU, MIT, Tufts, Leslie, WIT, ….

13. 5.National & International Relief U.S. & worldwide demand for usable surplus is essentially infinite. Dozens of nonprofits can use surplus for disaster relief & economic development. Reconstruction after natural disaster Schools, orphanages Hospitals, clinics Villages, slums

14. National & International Relief Advantages • Few restrictions on material composition and quality • Dorm/Residential, Classroom, Office/Administrative, Scientific/Medical, Library, Athletic • A complete solution • Environmental and humanitarian benefits • Great community/public relations • Cost is generally less than disposal

15. National & International Relief Disadvantages • Making the match; Right time, right stuff issues • Better for large than small quantities (full containers or trailers) • Logistics & scheduling; Neither schools nor nonprofits are set up to do this

16. National & International Relief Example: IRN www.irnsurplus.com Partnership with ~50 U.S. & international nonprofits to match supply with need Comprehensive project management: Planning, labor, logistics, paperwork, reporting Quantities: Partial truckloads through multiple containers Fixed assets and building materials move with surplus

17. Case Study: Columbia University • IRN complements Columbia’s local outlets • May 2012: Two days, six buildings, five shipping containers • Labor: Columbia Facilities crew • Destination: Community development in El Salvador

18. Case Study: Skidmore College • Too large & complex for local outlets • Three-phase project, May-June 2012 • (1) Central campus dorm; (2) Garden apts; (3) Stored furnishings • Eleven shipping containers (4+4+3), 2,100 pieces • Labor: Mover contracted by IRN • Destination: Jamaica, Nicaragua, U.S. (Appalachians)

19. Case Study: Howard University • Five-day window between move-out and move-in • Refreshing ~200 rooms in 8 dormitories (325 sets), plus 700 mattresses • Labor: Mover contracted by IRN • Destination: Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua

20. IRN & Surplus Property Middlebury College 1-866-229-1962 www.irnsurplus.com Gary Lowe Surplus Property 603-496-2850 glowe@ir-network.com