Demolition companies embracing sustainability
Sustainability is becoming increasingly important to many leading companies in the demolition industry.
With many businesses recovering from the recession, Financial Times construction reporter Ed Hammond recently noted that demolition is now becoming "more deconstruction than destruction".
The site of the former Café Royal on London's Regent Street has been cited as recent example of construction dismantling, where the outer walls have been left intact as the inside is dismantled.
Furthermore, Mr Hammond noted that the demolition industry is now recycling and re-using more materials than ever before.
Some 95 per cent of rubble recently taken from a demolition site in London will be recycled to be used later in the building process.
"When it comes to the construction industry's push towards sustainability, demolition is ahead of the curve" he commented.
Howard Button, chief executive of the National Federation of Demolition Contractors, noted that family ownership of many demolition companies is advantageous for addressing sustainability issues.
He points out that it allows them to monitor the markets more closely, allowing them to make rapid decisions on transactions without having to first consult a management board.
"It gives them that ability to react instantaneously to the project needs," he explained.
