Those working in the field of demolition are known by various names. They are demolishers, wreckers, enablers, and facilitators. But there is one over-arching, umbrella term that truly encapsulates what demolition is all about. They are problem solvers.
Got a building you want removed? Demolition’s got you covered. Got a structure filled with asbestos and other toxins? Demolition has a solution. Want a bridge taken down overnight? All in a day’s work.
The demolition industry employs men and women with a unique mix of technical know-how and street smarts. Give them a challenge and they will rise to it and then overcome it.
But there is a problem. For all their versatility, adaptability and problem-solving capabilities, demolition often collides with a pair of opposing forces: Time and money. Come to think of it, in construction terms, they both mean the same thing. Time IS money.
And this is where the problems become insurmountable and beyond the control of even the most innovative demolition contractor.
If a demolition contractor was consulted on the best and most practical demolition method, and if their expert opinion was actually heeded, that contractor would allow themselves plenty of time to do the work in the safest, most professional manner possibly. Sadly, that is not the case. The demolition firm is instead presented with an arbitrary timeline that suits everyone except the demolition professionals and their health and safety adviser; and their advice on methodology is paid precious little heed.
If a demolition contractor was asked to devise a methodology in which there would be zero accidents guaranteed, they could do it. They could utilise autonomous or remotely-controlled machines while the men and women were safely and securely located yards or even miles from the danger zone.
But autonomous and remotely-controlled machines come at a cost. Using them would be more meticulous. And in the construction sector, meticulous is just a fancy word for far too slow and much too expensive.
If a demolition contractor was asked to set the environmental tone for a major construction project, they would happily invest in electric machines to carry out large parts of the works, thereby eliminating both noise and exhaust emissions from the very outset. But again, electric machines carry a hefty premium. Despite their rhetoric on sustainability, developers and contractors prioritise short-term profits over long-term environmental responsibility and stewardship.
And therein lies the crux of the matter. Everyone wants (or claims they want) the maximum possible safety, the lowest possible emission levels, and the highest degree of sustainability. But given the choice, everyone chooses profit over safety and sustainability. And this is about to become an even greater stumbling block.
Ironically, in environmental terms, construction’s constant pursuit of the quickest and the cheapest might ultimately cost the Earth. Literally.
The demolition industry is at a crossroads; a crossroads of such magnitude that even the word demolition could vanish from our vocabulary.
There is a desire to replace demolition with deconstruction; a process by which a structure is carefully picked apart, its constituent parts harvested and stored to be used in an entirely new structure. We’re not talking about crushing everything down to 6f2 and flogging it as fill. We’re talking about salvaging slabs and beams and then deploying them elsewhere.
Modern, professional demolition contractors have that capability in their locker. They have the technical know-how and they have the equipment. Many of the finest demolition contractors are also adept at finding a market for salvaged materials. If there was an economic incentive to do so, I am positive they could devise a way of harvesting, storing and selling great lumps of buildings and structures.
But will they be given the chance? The current and prevailing mindset within the construction sector is that demolition should get a building or structure on the floor as quickly and as cheaply as possible. And that runs counter to the notion of picking apart major structural elements for use elsewhere.
The construction industry has become geared to improbable or impossible deadlines; upon completion at any cost. Even if that cost is to the planet.
Like a skilled surgeon looking at the body of an organ donor, demolition contractors know precisely what to harvest and how. They know which parts are most valuable and they could quickly identify recipients just crying out for those constituent parts. Unfortunately, for those in construction, the focus is not on salvaging valuable materials; it is on the ticking clock by which they calculate their profits.
They would prefer to just get the body in the ground so they can go about their business. And nothing as inconsequential as saving the planet is going to stand in their way.
Ironically, in environmental terms, construction’s constant pursuit of the quickest and the cheapest might ultimately cost the Earth. Literally.