What We Do

Build It Green! NYC, is New York City's only non-profit retail outlet for salvaged and surplus building materials. Our reuse centers have everything from panel doors to high end refrigerators and shutters to movie props. Our mission is to keep these materials out of the landfill, while offering deep discounts on their resale. We are working towards reducing the amount of unnecessary construction and demolition (C&D) waste clogging our landfills, which contributes to pollution, GHG emissions, climate change and global warming.

Founded in late 2004, our Astoria warehouse opened in February of 2005. Our second reuse center opened in Gowanus, Brooklyn in November 2011. Both reuse centers are open 7 days a week. In addition to our two reuse centers, we also support local environmental initiatives, such as BIG!Compost in Western Queens. We are sponsored by Community Environmental Center (CEC) www.cecenter.org.

We have over 75 tons of materials on sale at half or below their new prices:

• doors
• flooring
• sinks, bathtubs and toilets
• lighting
• windows
• trim, moulding
• cabinets
• metal studs
• marble, granite
• furniture
• and much, much more...

A Better NYC:

All proceeds help support BIG!NYC and CEC's environmental initiatives around the city, including BIG!Compost, BIG!Blooms scaffolding program for raised garden beds at community gardens, BIG!NYC Gives Back donation program for non-profits and community groups, and so much more. Previous programs have included NYC Cool Roofs, Film Biz Recycling, and education programs at Solar 1. Solar 1 provides education programs in local schools, covering topics such as renewable energy and the East River ecosystem. They also host environmental lectures, and arts events throughout the year.

Why Reuse?

Did you know that over 19,000 tons* of building material are thrown out every day in New York City? (* according to PlaNYC's 2011 chapter "Solid Waste"). These materials are clogging our landfills, releasing carbon into the atmosphere, and creating a need for more materials to be manufactured. Reuse is a logical and environmentally friendly alternative to discarding durable materials. Reuse just makes sense, economically and environmentally.

Where do the materials come from?

Salvaged materials have been taken from a variety of buildings about to be demolished or remodeled in New York City. Surplus materials have been donated by building suppliers and contractors interested in protecting the environment and reducing their waste. And many materials have been donated by someone just like you! Thinking of replacing things around your house? Consider their usefulness to someone else and bring them down any time we're open!