Reclamation led approach to demolition

About the report

This free report aims to build on past reclamation successes, to outline specific steps that will encourage and inspire clients and contractors to specify and deliver increased levels of reclamation on all demolition projects.

Its overarching themes for facilitating reclamation include: reclamation or pre-demolition auditing; allowing sufficient time and space; clear communication of the benefits and improved planning and management.

The report also includes fourteen case studies that set out the cost and carbon savings that have been achieved through increased reclamation, on sites in the UK and overseas.

Published July 2007
Pages 24

Download report PDF
For hard copies please contact BioRegional's Reclaimed Team on info@bioregional-reclaimed.com
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BioRegional is a registered charity – if you would like to make a donation for this report please visit www.justgiving.com to do so securely on-line – suggested donation £4.00.  

Your support will help us to continue developing vital solutions for sustainable living.

Introduction

Overview
90 million tonnes of waste are produced each year by construction and demolition projects in the UK. Currently 69% of this waste is recycled or re-used. Whilst this reduces landfill, recycling still requires significant inputs of energy.

Re-using materials in their original form has the following benefits.

• Replaces the need for new virgin materials.
• Reduces the energy demand for manufacturing new products.
• Retains the embodied energy of the material (the energy required to abstract, process, manufacture and deliver it).
• Saves irreplaceable historic materials and craft skills from bygone eras.

This cuts carbon emissions, offers significant environmental savings and can save money.

Reclamation and re-use of materials is not a new idea. Salvage has always formed an integral part of the demolition process. However, the construction and demolition industries have recently developed increasingly more innovative schemes to achieve high levels of recycling in their activities, rather than reclamation and material reuse.

The aim of this report
The aim of this document is to build on past reclamation successes, to outline specific steps that will encourage and inspire contractors to increase the levels of reclamation on all demolition projects. In doing so, it is assumed that the best re-use option, that of re-use and/or relocation of buildings on the project has already been considered and is not viable.

These aims are met in this document using the following two approaches:
1. Specific steps to achieve a reclamation led approach to demolition
2. Example case studies of successful reclamation projects.
 

Download report PDF

For hard copies please contact BioRegional's Reclaimed Team on info@bioregional-reclaimed.com
........................................................................................................
BioRegional is a registered charity – if you would like to make a donation for this report please visit www.justgiving.com to do so securely on-line – suggested donation £4.00.  

Your support will help us to continue developing vital solutions for sustainable living.