The construction industry is under growing pressure to reduce waste, cut carbon, and deliver measurable sustainability outcomes. In a recent CIOB-hosted webinar, Engineered Deconstruction – The Future of Demolition, Colemans CEO Mark Coleman FCIOB and assistant project manager and CIOB Sustainability Ambassador Titus Akpan MCIOB challenged long-held assumptions about demolition and presented a compelling alternative: engineered deconstruction.
Chaired by Amanda Williams, CIOB head of environmental sustainability, the session explored how engineered deconstruction moves beyond conventional demolition practices and aligns with circular economy principles. While traditional demolition typically focuses on recycling materials once structures are dismantled, engineered deconstruction prioritises the careful disassembly, repurposing, and reuse of materials in their existing form wherever possible, retaining embodied carbon and significantly reducing the environmental impact associated with manufacturing new materials.
Mark Coleman FCIOB explained how this more considered, engineered approach enables Colemans to dramatically reduce waste and embodied carbon, while delivering tangible commercial and environmental benefits for clients. “Engineered deconstruction is about making intelligent use of what already exists,” he explained. “Too often, buildings are treated as waste at the end of their life, when in reality they contain huge amounts of embodied carbon and valuable materials. Our approach is about recognising that value, assessing it properly, and designing projects so those materials can be safely recovered, reused, and put back into the supply chain.”
Drawing on real project experience, the speakers demonstrated how Colemans’ engineered approach has been used to prove the concept of large-scale material reuse in practice. This was exemplified by the world’s largest steel reuse initiative in South Wales, where early-stage assessment and detailed planning enabled 4,500 tonnes of structural steel to be evaluated prior to removal. As a result, 89 percent of the steel recovered was deemed suitable for direct reuse, delivering a carbon saving of 6,774 tonnes compared to the use of new steel and setting a new benchmark for circular economy delivery within the built environment.
Early consideration
Titus Akpan highlighted the importance of integrating deconstruction thinking at the earliest stages of design and planning. When considered upfront, engineered deconstruction can unlock significant sustainability and commercial outcomes, helping clients meet carbon reduction targets, improve ESG performance, and align with circular economy principles. He also emphasised that all steel reclaimed for reuse undergoes rigorous testing and verification, is certified to relevant British Standards, and is issued with material passports, providing full traceability and confidence for future reuse. Alongside this, Akpan addressed common on-site challenges, including programme constraints and safety considerations, and outlined how Colemans’ teams overcome these through detailed sequencing, risk management, and workforce engagement.
The webinar also reinforced the broader benefits of engineered deconstruction beyond sustainability. Reduced waste movements, safer working environments, and improved cost certainty were all identified as key advantages, alongside reputational benefits for clients seeking demonstrable leadership in sustainable construction.
As the industry continues to evolve, the session made clear that engineered deconstruction is not a future aspiration but a practical, deliverable solution available today. By rethinking demolition and embedding deconstruction principles early, contractors and clients alike can play a meaningful role in reducing environmental impact while maximising value from the built environment.
