Ontario Construction News staff writer
A Grade 11 student in the Greater Toronto Area has launched a program aimed at reducing construction waste while supporting hands-on learning in high school shop classes.
Vasilisa Lave founded RE:Build, a student-led initiative that collects leftover construction materials from local companies and donates them to underfunded school shop programs. The goal is to ensure usable materials that might otherwise be discarded are repurposed for educational use.
“Our team is entirely female, and part of our mission is to raise awareness about the importance of women in skilled trades, a field where women are still significantly underrepresented,” Lave said in a press release.
“Through RE:Build, we hope to encourage more young women to explore opportunities in construction and other trades while also strengthening hands-on learning for all students.”
The project works with construction firms to redirect surplus supplies to nearby classrooms, where students can use them in construction and skilled trades courses.
“Construction waste makes up a significant portion of landfill materials each year, even though much of it is still reusable,” Lave said. “At the same time, many high school skilled trades programs operate on extremely limited budgets and struggle to access materials for projects and training.”
Since its launch, the team has hosted workshops on construction waste, organized student competitions using recycled materials and established connections with five local construction companies interested in contributing materials.
By connecting construction companies with schools in need, RE:Build helps redirect usable materials such as lumber, hardware, and other supplies that might otherwise go to waste. So far, we have successfully redirected and donated more than 1,000 pounds of materials to support our school’s construction program.
The group is now working to expand its network of industry partners across the region and is inviting additional companies with unused materials to get involved.
“We are currently looking to partner with local construction companies interested in donating surplus materials,” Lave said. “These donations not only reduce waste but also help support the next generation of skilled trades professionals.”
To support the initiative or donate materials, contact re**********@***il.com, or visit https://rebuildpmca.wixsite.com/build.
