Levela Deconstruction was recently contracted by Auckland Council to deconstruct red-stickered houses following the 2023 Anniversary Weekend floods. Deconstruction is still rare in this country, which creates unnecessary landfill waste and contributes directly and indirectly to greenhouse-gas emissions. “These are all things we’re trying to avoid,” says Levela’s Patrick Forsythe. “It starts with the waste hierarchy – reuse, recycle, disposal. Every time you step down and take the ‘easier’ option, you contribute to a greater carbon and environmental impact.”
Here: What do you do and why do you do it?
Patrick Forsythe: We carefully dismantle buildings with minimal destruction to the materials and elements, allowing them to be maintained for reuse and easily separated into their respective waste streams – maximising recycling and minimising landfill disposal. The option to quickly demolish and destroy everything and send most or all of it to landfill is, in our opinion, an irresponsible method of removing buildings.
H: How much goes to landfill each year in New Zealand that could be diverted?
PF: Construction and demolition waste makes up between 40 and 50 percent of New Zealand’s total waste going to landfill – this equates to between 5.04 and 6.3 million tonnes. Levela diverts between 80 and 90 percent of a building’s weight from landfill. By making a relatively simple change, we estimate that the current total amount going to landfill could be reduced by at least one or two million tonnes a year.
H: What are the carbon impacts of this?
PF: Demolition produces more waste than any other stage of a building’s life, and each tonne of construction and demolition waste sent to landfill can emit several hundred kilograms of CO2 equivalent in the form of methane. That’s without considering the embodied carbon in the materials – it represents a huge loss of resources and energy.
H: How do you work differently?
PF: The first priority for Levela is to determine whether the building to be removed can be relocated by truck and reinstated on another site. If the building can’t be relocated, we deconstruct it, strictly adhering to the waste hierarchy and ensuring there is a home for the materials. Each sheet of roofing iron, length of timber, weatherboard, window and floorboard is carefully removed by hand and stacked for reuse.
H: Why does so little get saved or repurposed?
PF: The short answer is that it is not difficult, it is just not yet normalised in the industry. A wealth of information is now available online about which materials can be reused and recycled, along with waste-management plan templates and sorting-bin labels to aid responsible waste handling. Education is a significant factor – there are no formal qualifications for non-destructive deconstruction in New Zealand, unlike overseas, or for someone studying new construction. There are also no laws preventing an entire house from being disposed of – instead, a waste levy applies. Even as levy prices increase annually, landfilling usually remains cheaper than finding reuse and recycling options. Market demand for second-hand building materials is also low, particularly for high-volume, low-value items like framing timber. A grading and certification scheme could help Building Consent Authorities approve their use in new projects.
H: What do you do with the material you recover?
PF: We’ve built a strong network of material re-agents across Tāmaki Makaurau. All native timber is either refinished into beautiful floorboards or repurposed as cladding for internal wall or ceiling applications. We donate non-native timber to community recycling centres, for public sale locally, or Pacific Island communities, where it’s sent overseas for reuse. These channels also receive a large volume of other reusable materials in good condition, including roofing, kitchen and bathroom fixtures, joinery, lighting, switches, plyboard, and floor coverings. Trusses, roofing, windows, doors and kitchen or bathroom fixtures are also sold online to the public or through specialised deconstruction material yards.
H: Does it cost more?
PF: Unfortunately, the cost of landfilling a building is still lower than deconstruction, due to the labour costs involved. Though if access is limited, neighbours are close by, or hazardous materials are present, the cost of careful deconstruction may be comparable to demolition. Beyond that, demolition has significant non-financial costs that extend beyond its upfront affordability. Deconstruction mitigates environmental harm, preserves cultural heritage, and contributes to a more resilient and sustainable built environment.
Levela Deconstruction
Related Stories:
