The restoration of the historic Mt Roskill Borough Council Building in Three Kings is benefiting the community by identifying and retaining recyclable materials that would otherwise go to waste.
The building originally opened in 1957 but was closed in 2012 as a result of weather-tightness issues in an extension added in 1990.
Puketāpapa Local Board Chair Harry Doig says the decision was made to remove the newer section while retaining the heritage building.
Innovative process
As part of the restoration process, materials that can be reused are identified and retained.
Doig says that with approximately 40 per cent of all waste sent to landfill coming from building demolition, it was important for Auckland Council – which aspires to be zero waste by 2040 – to identify new ways of doing things.
Supported by Puketāpapa Local Board and the community, the project aims to make deconstruction material available to local people, minimise waste to landfill, and provide training opportunities for locals to work in the industry.
Finding a new home
More than 1300 items were reused, including insulation, carpet tiles and framing timber. This represents around 3 tonnes diverted from landfill.
These church pews have been made using material recovered from the project, and two trainees who worked on the project have now been employed full time.
