Bob Alf's 16 years in construction utilized strengths in managing people and projects and was fueled by a passion for sustainability. He finds that the construction industry leaves much room for projects to be completed in ways that are healthier for the occupants, healthier for the planet and lower in total costs. Bob's eight year financial career in the 1980's provided valuable skills for being a construction professional. Experience as a CPA and a financial operations manager developed deep skills in project management and being a financial advocate for his clients.

• Contractor/Construction Coach, Bob Alf Construction (2005 - Current)

• Construction Manager, Locus Architecture (2002-2005)

• DeConstruction Services Program Director, Green Institute (1997-2001)

Bob was hired to develop a new business that deconstructs buildings as an alternative to demolishing/landfilling them. Low-income residents were trained in deconstruction skills in order to bring them living wage jobs. The result was a business that hired and trained dozens of low-income workers, diverted hundreds of tons of materials from landfills, and generated over $1,000,000 in sales of green building materials.

Bob has an extraordinary knowledge of residential structures as a result of his thorough assessment of hundreds of structures with subsequent dismantling of dozens of them. This knowledge allowed him to assist architects and general contractors in introducing high-quality reclaimed materials into their projects in cost effective ways.

Bob provided dozens of media interviews to NPR, commercial radio, local network news, and neighborhood newspapers. In addition to media interviews, Bob was invited to give dozens of presentations in seminars as one of the leading deconstruction and material reuse experts in the country. This expertise also led to invitations to train new deconstruction crews in other states, along with consulting for start up of new deconstruction programs.

• Independent Remodeler, Robert Alf Renovations (1990-1997)

Bob conducted residential remodeling and additions as both project manager and primary craftsperson. He apprenticed with a Minneapolis-based master carpenter early in this period and completed all drawing and specifications for each remodel/addition.

The first addition he designed and built was in South Minneapolis and was celebrated by a letter that the homeowner received from a neighbor:
"(I) commend you for your most attractive addition...It now looks like it's always been there. Oftentimes something of that nature speaks loudly 'this is an addition,' but not in your case. All lines and stucco finishing were carefully planned and look great."

Bob always had "Green Construction" values but they came clearly into focus on a residential/commercial project in 1997. He was hired to create structural plans and implement changes for a 3-story, 16,000 square foot historically significant building in downtown Minneapolis. All interior walls were to be removed with new post & beam systems added. The result was first floor commercial space with two loft apartments on each of the next two floors. The deconstruction of the interior walls salvaged approximately 2,000 board feet of old growth lumber which was subsequently reused in the project. This saved hundreds of dollars in dumpster fees and thousands of dollars in reduced costs in new lumber.

He then specified and installed 9,000 square feet of reclaimed wood flooring and 3,000 board feet of reclaimed Douglas Fir trim. The Douglas Fir trim came from re-milled warehouse timbers and was used to encase the new post/beam system thus made to look original to the building. The project attracted the study of a University of Minnesota graduate student due to it's success in terms of incorporating used building materials, saving tens of thousands of dollars in costs and bringing a final appearance that respected the building's historic nature.