From glass jars to milk jugs and even boxes bearing that ubiquitous smiling arrow, common household items are increasingly finding new life thanks to enhanced recycling and upcycling efforts.

But what about construction materials? Could conservation of an item so small but widespread as a door hinge make a positive environmental impact?

Having witnessed the installation and removal of countless temp doors throughout his career, General Foreman Joel Babcock had been convinced for much of his career that it indeed could.

Temp doors, which are used during construction to prevent damage to permanent doors among other site and security benefits, are built with three hinges. When temp doors come down at the end of a project, those hinges are typically tossed—ultimately destined for landfills where they will remain for tens to even thousands of years.

The metals from which hinges are comprised, including bronze, stainless steel and brass, are not biodegradable, meaning they do not decompose or decay easily. Moreover, these materials can release harmful toxins into the air or cause harm to our ecosystem by entering waterways and soil.

Beyond the environmental impact, Joel intuitively recognized waste in labor and cost. Over the years, he had personally taken many trips to hardware stores to replenish hinges. It wasn’t until he discovered Balfour Beatty’s My Contribution employee engagement program, however, that Joel knew just how to get his idea to salvage and re-use door hinges in the right hands.

Joel submitted his idea in the fall of 2023 and collaborated with local leadership to evaluate how and where the hinges could be collected and stored in company warehouses and calculate projected cost savings.

This past spring, Joel’s idea was officially delivered across the company’s Northwest operations. The Alaska Airlines New Training Facility project will be the team’s first opportunity to measure the positive impact of Joel’s contribution.

“Years ago, I witnessed a few hundred pounds of hinges being thrown away, and I had an ‘a ha’ moment that really stuck with me,” recalls Joel. “It was ultimately My Contribution that gave my idea the exposure it needed to take off. This program is one of the many reasons I tell people this is the best company I’ve ever worked for.”

Hinges can be re-used multiple times without damaging their structural integrity.

A Relentless Ally for our projects and the planet, Joel is a testament to the impact one individual and one idea can have to change the world for good.