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Portland officials say a novel law pushing deconstruction of old houses is proving successful.

The city will soon certify a new crop of deconstruction contractors under a law championed by former Mayor Charlie Hales and passed near the end of his term. Additionally, it’s likely that a May progress report will ask the City Council to expand the threshold of houses covered under the ordinance, from those built in 1916 and earlier, to 1920 and earlier, according to Camille Elmore-Trummer, spokeswoman for the Bureau of Planning and Sustainability.

Deconstruction is described by proponents as the dismantlement of a structure with an eye toward maximizing material reuse and minimizing environmental and health impacts. Supporters hope Portland’s law, said to be the only one of its kind in the U.S., will help establish deconstruction as a new sub-trade in construction.

Since Portland’s law went into effect Oct. 31, 2016, 22 home demolition projects have fallen under the ordinance.

Twelve 鈥淐ertified Deconstruction Firms鈥� are registered with the Bureau of Planning and Sustainability. All took part last summer in a course facilitated by consultancy Earth Advantage. Among them are startups dedicated solely to deconstruction, small homebuilders and large-material-removal specialists that intended to expand their reach.

Mayor Ted Wheeler’s office last week held a press event at a 112-year-old house at 1909 N.W. Third Ave. in Northwest Portland. He was scheduled to meet with the 15 students of the training course, but canceled.