For Immediate Release:
www.NAPAMAX.org Launches Materials Exchange
On-line Exchanges like the auto trading websites and eBay, have made it possible to sell any item, from any location, to anyone in the country. A buyer can search hundreds of categories to find their specific treasure, view the item, and then consummate the transaction, and receive the item shortly thereafter.
Wouldn’t it be amazing if a company that de-constructs buildings could enter the type and quantities of any material to be removed, and have several (buyers or re-users) ready to pick up everything shortly after the materials were taken from the building?
What if architects, while writing construction documents, would itemize these materials and give the list to contractors to post on the Internet for pick-up during the de-construction phase?
How much material would be diverted from Landfills if these resources were used every day?
We will soon find out.
The California network of Counties are moving from just informing companies to how they can recycle and reuse materials, to providing an opportunity to list the materials and conduct the transaction on-line.
An Interview with Kevin Miller, Program Manager of NapaMax.org
What prompted this effort?
The growing needs to divert construction and industrial waste from landfills and to Re-Use and Recycle. During 2002, the California Integrated Waste Management Board funded a Reuse Assistance Grant to develop a website using the latest technology that would facilitate the Re-Use and Recycling of construction materials, and other heavy industry materials.
The County of Napa, and the NapaMax project, www.napamax.org, were awarded the grant to provide a web-based, real-time exchange, and documentation of the volume, weight and material in a format that is both measurable and trackable.
Genacom Inc, a Website and Database Development company, www.genacom.com, was selected to implement the vision of NapaMax and its partners, the Solano-Napa Builders Exchange, and the City of Napa.
What is NapaMax.org ?
A prototype that takes the benefits of the current paper catalog of listings and moves to an on-line, real-time data based system, with content management, and transaction processing functionality.
How will you get companies to use the system?
Our corporate partners tell us they need this to be profitable and efficient for businesses to take full advantage of the system. We chose Genacom because their corporate customers demand a return on investment.
“Our goal in designing the User Interface, database, and transaction functionality is to make it user friendly, simple, elegant, easy to use, along with a powerful engine to control the content. We included many of the best features of a commercial exchange, and expect to handle thousands of transactions per month.”
David Northcutt, President of Genacom
How will Suppliers and Re-Users work together?
Suppliers will post listings available and Re-Users will post materials requests.
Often times, the quantity that is offered by the “Supplier” is more than is needed by the “Re-User”. No Problem. When the transaction is completed, the quantity available is adjusted in the Listing, and waits for the next Re-User.
Conversely, a Re-User that needs more quantity can request an automatic email, page, fax or voice-mail with the notification of each new listing. Additionally a Re-User has the opportunity to maintain a “watchlist” of items and be notified immediately when those items become available on the web site.
The advantage of real-time means that when a contractor in Sacramento places an order for five5 tons of asphalt, as soon as ist be comes available in Napa, the transaction can be completed the same day.
Most materials will be picked up by the Re-User. Each posting has the location for pick-up or delivery.
How are the units and tonnage of deferred waste measured?
After the physical transfer of material, we receive a follow-up email of the total quantity in units and weight. This recap provides a reporting of results for deferred waste from the landfill. Additionally, the web site houses information that makes it easy for the Supplier and the Re-User to determine the weights.
Can anyone view the listings?
Yes, www.napamax.org is open to the public. Browsing our listings is easy. You just select the category, materials and display options then click on search. You can also scan for new listings as well as keywords to find listings.
What is the User Profile?
This is a great feature. You can list your favorite categories and with each log on, you save time by going direct to your categories for material opportunities, and choose transactions. For security reasons, only contact and location details are released to the parties of the transaction. At any time you can edit or delete this information.
What are the “Groups”?
You can establish your own (internal) Re-User groups and forward via email, listings to them first, and then have the listing released to the public a week or so later. (External) Groups might be a group of several companies that regularly Re-Use and Recycle each other’s materials. They can save time and money by trading directly through the NapaMax database.
Can Communities be (external) Groups?
Yes. Lets say you have a Community Playground that needs donated materials. They can post a “wish list” on the NapaMax site, and direct the Community to look at the on-line “wish list”. After each donated transaction, that item is deleted from the needs list.
When repeat Suppliers and Re-Users start doing transactions off line, how will NapaMax measure the results?
We expect this may happen. Once a User has registered on NapaMax.org, we send them a periodic survey (quarterly) to help us keep track of the category and weight of materials re-used. Our expectation is that the ability to save user information, maintain groups and re-post recurring items will be compelling reasons to continue to use the site.
How close is the NapaMax.org site to CalMax.org?
NapaMax.org is a prototype to test and fine tune as we measure the acceptance, use, and success of this new system. We are building on the CalMAX vision by using their categories, and existing participant listings. When they see similar results of the systems of documentation of the volume, weight and material in a format that is both measurable and trackable in several counties, they may choose to move to web-enable the database and transactions on the entire California system.
We anticipate other Ccounties will contact us as they evolve their Re-Use and Recycle programs to this or a web-based system. We are all working together, at the State and Municipal levels to find the best solutions to achieve a maximum % Re-Use or Recycle.
How does this project reduce costs?
First, the web-based system eliminates the long-term costs of copying and mailing a large document to thousands of interested parties. The information is always current, quicker and easier to use, and capable of providing data for qualifying and quantifying landfill diversion. Most of all, it will facilitate the diversion of thousands of tons of materials for Re-Use or Recycle which will save business and communities millions of dollars each year. It will also help us to provide “939” reporting in which we show we are meeting re-use and recycling goals mandated by the State of California. This prevents much needed tax-payer dollars being diverted from local needs.
The web-based system requires minimal staffing and site maintenance, the same person screens and posts each listing. Checking listings and generating reporting are only a few mouse-clicks away.
How do you measure the User response to the website?
We use website statistics software as well as user surveys as well as the reports that track diverted materials and an analysis of the savings in printing, postage and man-hours needs to do the cataloge equivalent. Combined, the reports are already demonstrating the value of this system
How do you receive listings?
Listings can be received by email, fax, or by mail, or by phone.
(Kevin, need this info.)
What are the next steps for the NapaMax website?
Our first phase was to build the database and transaction engine and launch the site. Now, similar to the “auto trading websites” and eBay, we include posting a digital photo of the material. This visual image will increase transactions as it is important for buyers to see what they are getting.
We also are launching a marketing program in collaboration with our partners, the Solano Napa Builders Exchange, Solano County and the City of Napa to inform and to train companies how to use the system.
Other Ccounties are contacting us to learn how they can partner on the NapaMax.org site, or launch one of their own.
Visual Images
Screenshot of the NapaMax home page: www.napamax.org
Copy of the Sitemap of the layout of the NapaMax Website.
www.genacom.com
How can someone get more information?
Kevin Miller, Waste Reduction/Recycling Coordinator
City of Napa Public Works Department
P.O. Box 660, Napa, CA 94559-0660
phone: (707) 257-9520x7291, fax: (707) 257-9522
kmiller@cityofnapa.org
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