Enabling Responsible Alternatives to Demolition.
Building Relocation and Deconstruction
Association of British Columbia
Every year 3,500 homes are demolished across British Columbia.
This is creating incredible material, embodied carbon, and housing supply waste.
Reimagine Demolition
Our vision: A future where every building in British Columbia is valued as a resource, not waste -- where relocation, repurposing, and deconstruction are the standard, preserving and upcycling materials, reducing environmental impact and fostering resilient communities.
Our Association
Promoting and supporting qualified providers of building relocation and deconstruction across British Columbia.
Standards
Establishing relocation and deconstruction industry standards for waste prevention, health and safety, and good business practices.
Expanding building relocation and deconstruction through the creation of research, resources and policy advocacy.
Building Relocation
Every year approx. 600 good homes are demolished across British Columbia to make space for higher density development.
These high value homes should be relocated and repurposed as rapid, low carbon, affordable housing for communities and families in need.
Relocation (noun): the lifting and transport of part, or all, of an existing structure.
Building Deconstruction
In addition, every year approx. 1,620 single family homes are demolished across British Columbia that could be fully or partially deconstructed to salvage and repurpose valuable building materials in the local economy.
This practice of reclaiming materials through “urban mining” is well demonstrated in cities around North America and Europe.
Deconstruction (noun): systematic dismantling of a structure with materials preserved in their original form for reuse.
By this definition conventional demolition where materials are destructed, sorted, and recycled is not deconstruction.
