We can announce that more than 99 per cent of materials from the demolished Birmingham Road multi storey car park have been recycled.
Specialist contractor Cawarden, who demolished the car park last year, prioritise sustainability and recycling in its operations and aimed to ensure that the demolition was as environmentally conscious as possible.
This is part of our social value delivery, which ensures all commissioned goods, services and works we procure will consider how they can bring more social value benefits to our community.
Throughout the project all materials were carefully separated to maximise recycling potential. Concrete and brick hardcore were crushed and transformed into 6F2, a high-quality recycled aggregate which will be used in future construction projects.
A portion of the crushed materials was used in levelling the site during the groundworks phase and slates, bricks, and roofing components were repurposed. Meanwhile scrap metal, including lintels, load-bearing beams and copper and brass cables were loaded and transported to a local recycling centre for smelting.
Of the 8101.73 tonnes of material resulting from the car park demolition Cawarden managed to recycle 8092.32 tonnes, some 99.8 per cent.
This is just one example of thirteen social value commitments that Cawarden is delivering as part of their project. Alongside this, £500 in sponsorship has been given to the Elite Academy of Performing Arts (Lichfield), a donation has been made to Lichfield Foodbank and site visits are taking place to local primary schools to inspire young people to consider careers within the construction industry.
Lichfield District Council’s Cabinet Member for Finance and Commissioning, Councillor Rob Strachan, said:
“The demolition of the Birmingham Road multi storey car is a key step in the redevelopment of the Birmingham Road site. I’d like to thank Cawarden for its efficient management and delivery of the project.
“Recycling more than 99 per cent of the building is a remarkable achievement and it supports an aim of our Lichfield District 2050 strategy which is to create the greenest district in the country.”
Jonathan Groves, Cawarden Group Quality Director, said:
“Sustainability has been at the heart of Cawarden’s business for almost four decades, with a strong commitment to recycling materials. As a multi Green Award-winning organisation, we continue to lead the way in sustainable demolition and environmental responsibility.
“Our approach to the demolition of Lichfield’s Multi Storey Car Park has embraced our company ethos and we are proud to report an impressive 99.8 per cent recycling rate on this project.
“We also continuously invest in new plant and vehicles with the latest fuel-efficient, low-emission engines, while embracing emerging technologies to drive our journey toward net-zero.”