Industry shifts to re-use, according to Construction Resale

The UK construction industry seems to be shifting towards re-use rather than recycling or landfill, according to the new online site Construction Resale.

Skanska, Dean & Dyball and Wilson James have advertised available materials and equipment on the new online resale platform for the UK construction industry.

Skanska is, for instance in the process of decommissioning its site compound at the recently completed bypass project inTemple Sowerby, Cumbria. Spare materials and site set-up equipment are now being advertised on the website for contractors and projects in the north west looking to pick up equipment at reasonable prices.

Jenny Clark, at Skanska UK civil engineering, said: “It’s a good and simple concept and Skanska are currently looking in to how best we can use it within the company.”

Construction and aviation logistics specialist Wilson James has uploaded construction materials and equipment currently held at its consolidation centre in east London.

Bob Dempsey, of Wilson James, said: “New ways of working to cut construction waste are most welcome. If the industry is serious about getting tough on waste, this new business may be one solution.”

Construction Resale utilises an online auction style solution. Registration is free and a commission is charged for a successful sale.

Winner of the NCE Civils 2007 Innovation Award, this is the first time this type of software has been put to use to address resource efficiency issues in construction.

Construction Resale is now developing intranet versions of the original website that can be used by major contractors and larger projects to advertise available resources internally.

Items that are not required in-house can then be uploaded to the national ConstructionResale.co.uk website where they can be acquired by registered users.