Online building materials exchange launched

Light House, an organization focused on advancing circular practices in the built environment, has announced the official launch of the Building Material Exchange Marketplace. BMEX Marketplace is a free online business-to-business marketplace which allows businesses across Vancouver Island to list and acquire excess and salvaged building and/or design-related materials from reliable, local sources. BMEX Marketplace is supported by Capital Regional District, Regional District of Nanaimo, Cowichan Valley Regional District, and the City of Nanaimo.

“BMEX Marketplace is built on Rheaply, a B2B reuse platform that tracks weight diverted from landfill, cost savings and carbon avoidance. It improves upon tools like Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist making it exclusively set up for organizations and their underused construction, building and design-related excess materials,” said Gil Yaron, managing director of circular innovation for Light House. “Vancouver Island is grappling with burgeoning landfills, increased waste management costs and efforts to foster local economic development. Our aim is to reduce waste management costs and minimize the volume of construction material sent to landfills while supporting the creation of a circular economy and quality local jobs. We’re also forging a ton of new business-to-business connections, and we’re already seeing local organizations on the Island leverage BMEX Marketplace to seamlessly buy and sell excess and salvaged building materials.”

“As a commercial design and build company, we are very eager to be involved with the Building Material Exchange Program,” said Ann Squires Ferguson, CEO of Western Design Build. “We are often faced with leftover site materials, products, discontinued items, and samples that unfortunately, have previously had to end up in the landfill. The BMEX Marketplace  provides us the opportunity to ensure usable materials stay out of the landfill, as well as saving our clients money on dumping costs, and creating lasting connections in the local community. We plan to introduce our sub trades and suppliers to this program as well. The success of BMEX will be reliant on all of us contributing”.

Surplus or underused building materials, often available in varying quantities and conditions, can be repurposed by organizations interested in reuse and salvage—not limited to contractors and architects. BMEX encourages the industry to think outside the box to identify new markets for these materials, including Rifflandia Festival, enabling their reinvention and extending their lifecycle.

“Rifflandia Entertainment Company is excited to participate in the BMEX Marketplace program as we focus on reducing the environmental impact at our events, especially pertaining to sending materials to landfill that could be re-used by other organizations,” said Vanessa Leong, COO of Rifflandia Entertainment Company. “We are constantly looking for ways to innovate and re-imagine Rifflandia Festival and the overall event experience for our attendees, often through activations which require a mix of building materials, fixtures, and fittings in various quantities. Through the BMEX Marketplace, we’ve already been able to locate items from other businesses that will support 2025 projects in a sustainable way, and we have started planning to list no longer needed materials of our own as well. We believe the BMEX Marketplace could have a big, positive impact on the entertainment and festival industry as it relates to improving waste management practices.”

BMEx Marketplace – How to Sign Up
1. Visit https://go.rheaply.com/BMEx to create a free account.

2. Complete the sign up form to request access.

3. Once approved, you will receive an email within 24 hours to set up a user profile.

4. List items through the “Create” button.

5. Browse for items and make offers.

“We at Hansenbuilt are super excited about the possibilities that a program like the BMEX Marketplace brings to the construction world,” said Kris Hansen, a builder at Hansenbuilt Design. “We strive to keep our environmental impact as low as possible, and the BMEX Marketplace has the potential to help us do that. Our goal is to use the online digital platform to list any extra materials that we inevitably end up with after a job, or usable goods such as windows or doors that we replace. There is so much unnecessary waste that ends up in the landfill and a program like this will give us the chance to reliably divert and recirculate usable goods and materials back into the system.”

“BMEx Marketplace is more than an environmental solution — it’s an economic catalyst. By creating opportunities in material collection, sorting, refurbishing, and resale, the program can generate new jobs and foster innovation,” said Yaron. “Small businesses, in particular, will benefit from access to affordable, high-quality materials, boosting their profit margins and encouraging sustainable entrepreneurship.

“The Canadian Home Builders’ Association Vancouver Island is proud to support the BMEX Marketplace,” said Kerriann Coady, CEO of CHBAVI. “This platform will be an invaluable resource for our members, providing contractors and home builders with a practical and efficient way to source and exchange quality building materials that would otherwise go to waste. The BMEX Marketplace not only reduces landfill contributions but also helps our members save on material costs, meet sustainability goals, and connect with like-minded businesses committed to circular practices. By facilitating these exchanges, BMEX is driving the future of construction toward greater responsibility while supporting the economic success of Vancouver Island’s building industry. We encourage our members to explore the BMEX platform and discover how it can help them align their work with forward-thinking construction practices.”