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Before attending the University of Oregon School of Architecture and Allied Arts in Eugene, Josette Katcha spent several years working for a historic preservation consultant in Milwaukee.

In the firm’s historic restoration projects, she was struck by the use of building materials salvaged from old structures that had been torn down.

鈥淲e were buying these doors from the other side of the country and had them shipped to the Midwest,鈥� Katcha said. 鈥淚 thought, 鈥榃hat is the history of these doors?’ 鈥�

The experience inspired her terminal project in preparation for earning a graduate degree this month from the university’s Historic Preservation Program. She surveyed preservation firms, architects and architectural salvage businesses to learn more about the prevalence of incorporating used building materials into restoration projects. Last month, Katcha presented her findings in Portland at the university’s White Stag Block in a talk titled 鈥�Save or Scrap: Deconstructing the Impact of Architectural Salvage on Historic Preservation.鈥�

鈥淚’d been thinking about how architectural salvage has become a huge design trend and what the impacts are on historic preservation,鈥� she said. 鈥淗ow are these materials being used?鈥�

Katcha sent out 69 surveys nationwide, but most her responses came from either the Midwest or the Pacific Northwest where she had personal connections. She found that 87 percent of architects surveyed believe the use of architectural salvage is increasing and 79 percent have incorporated the used materials into past projects, mostly for sustainability and aesthetic reasons. The salvage companies she surveyed reflected this increased interest in the design industry and reported that in the past five years business is up.

Most of the preservation firms that responded to the survey said they’ve used architectural salvage in restoration projects and agreed that the overall practice of using those materials is increasing in the build industry. But they reported feeling conflicted about whether it was appropriate to use salvaged materials to replace lost or damaged portions of a historic property. They also disagreed about whether increasing use of architectural salvage in the build industry is a threat to historic preservation and encourages demolitions of older properties.

These responses were among the most insightful as Katcha compiled her report on the survey.

鈥淭he point was to identify what the common feelings are of architectural salvage in the preservation community,鈥� she said.

She was particularly curious about survey responses from professionals working in Portland, where preservationists and neighborhood groups have raised alarm about the number of older homes being torn down to make way for new construction. City officials have since revised policies in regard to demolition permits and are considering establishing a program that provides incentives to encourage salvaging reusable materials from buildings that are torn down.

鈥淲hen you’re talking about Portland, we have a demolition epidemic,鈥� Katcha said. 鈥淚f we can encourage deconstruction of buildings for architectural salvage, are we encouraging demolition?鈥�

This question touches on the dilemma that preservationists occasionally face in regard to architectural salvage, said Peggy Moretti, executive director of Portland-based Restore Oregon. Members of the nonprofit preservation advocacy organization believe materials from historically significant buildings that are torn down should be salvaged, but only advocate for this as a last resort if the structure cannot otherwise be saved intact, she said.

鈥淲e are very concerned with what a tiny percentage of buildings that are demolished are actually salvaged,鈥� Moretti said.

But she added, 鈥淥ur first choice for a building that is truly a historic building is restoration or preservation.鈥�

Cathy Galbraith, executive director of the Portland-based Architectural Heritage Center, agreed.

鈥淚’m actually thrilled that there is a market for (salvaged) materials, unless they contribute to something being demolished,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 would never condemn anybody for using salvage.鈥�

Galbraith cautions property owners to document the use of salvaged materials in restoration projects. Otherwise, the next owner may mistake those replacements as part of the original construction, she said.

鈥淚t can result in misinterpretations down the line,鈥� she said.

Galbraith’s biggest worry about architectural salvage is property owners claiming that the technique mitigates tearing down a historic property instead of preserving it.

鈥淚t’s sort of a nice, easy attaboy for demolish advocates,鈥� she said. 鈥淒econstruction and demolition are never good options.鈥�

Ian Johnson, a historian with the Oregon State Historic Preservation Office, said he’s not sure if the popularity of architectural salvage, especially in new construction, is the main factor contributing to demolitions.

鈥淭hat’s always the great fear that the burgeoning market for these materials is encouraging buildings to be torn down,鈥� he said, 鈥渂ut I don’t know if they’re correlated.鈥�

Johnson said State Historic Preservation Office officials have no problem with restoration efforts that use salvaged materials. Officials consider it a means to meet federal standards established by the Secretary of the Interior to 鈥渞eplace in kind鈥� missing or damaged portions of a historic structure, he said.

鈥淭here is a place for salvage in that, but we want to know what (was) salvaged and what was not,鈥� Johnson said.

Katcha said she agrees with increasing acceptance of salvage as part of preservation, even if that means finding new uses for the pieces of a historic building.

鈥淚 think the preservation community is moving in the right direction in that sense,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e’re getting more comfortable that we just want these buildings to work, and if they don’t work, how can we tell a story with these materials?鈥�