| 37 T T Russell Fredric Minimal waste renewing aging buildings Work started with soft-stripping the buildings, followed by deconstruction. The deconstruction of the Norman King Building was the most recent, taking place from late February to May 2025. TROW Group: Northcote Town Centre “TROW Group is one of Aotearoa’s largest commercial deconstruction companies and sees waste as an opportunity to create a tangible difference in sustainability within the construction and infrastructure industry, here in Aotearoa and in the Pacific Islands.” REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT Built in the late 1950’s, Auckland’s Northcote Town Centre is ready for a refresh with TROW Group deconstructing some of its aging buildings. Work is being undertaken for Auckland Council’s Auckland Urban Development Office with much planned, including new and upgraded community facilities over the next two years, followed by new shops, apartments, a town square and a larger supermarket. Based in Henderson, TROW Group is a proudly Pasifika-owned and operated company offering a sustainable alternative; instead of demolishing buildings and structures and transporting the waste to landfill, TROW Group deconstructs and upcycles more than 80% of all salvaged materials. As opposed to demolition, deconstruction involves dismantling various building structural components and salvaging where possible, while soft-stripping involves the removal of non-structural elements like internal walls, fittings, fixtures and salvaging as much as possible of these. So far, the Norman King Building and two other aging buildings have been deconstructed in the town centre. The materials removed from these buildings were predominantly concrete, glass, brick, timber, roofing and furniture and appliances, which are being reused or recycled. Work started with soft-stripping the buildings, followed by deconstruction. The deconstruction of the Norman King Building was the most recent, taking place from late February to May 2025. Some items were given to the local marae or sent to Localised Wairau Zero Waste Hub for sale at affordable prices, while others are recycled. For example, concrete is crushed for hardfill, timber reused or chipped, and glass turned into new products. Anything not used locally, went to TROW Group’s yard in West Auckland where it was sorted, prepared and packed into a container and shipped to Tonga. There it was reused to build items, such as new furniture, cafes, storage sheds and more. TROW group communication and media lead Jayda Iole-Pauga says the construction sector is increasingly under pressure to support the Government’s environmental targets and local council initiatives, such as Auckland Council’s Zero Waste by 2040 programme. “TROW Group is one of Aotearoa’s largest commercial deconstruction companies and sees waste as an opportunity to create a tangible difference in sustainability within the construction and infrastructure industry, here in Aotearoa and in the Pacific Islands.” The final tonnage salvaged from the deconstruction of the Norman King Building was 727 tonnes which equated to 93% of valuable construction material being reused and recycled. The deconstruction work was not seen simply as a commercial project for TROW Group; there was a lot of heart and community connection involved, Jayda says. “Mid-way through the Norman King Building deconstruction, we were approached by the awesome team at the Auckland Urban Development Office. “They invited us to collaborate on an educational initiative with Onepoto Primary School, giving us the chance to engage tamariki in kōrero about para kore (zero waste). “We thought it was the perfect opportunity to share TROW Group’s deconstruction vision and mission in a fun, interactive way that our tamariki could understand and connect with. “It was incredibly rewarding, especially being able to co-facilitate the activity right next to our live project site in Northcote. “ I was proud to share the story of TROW Group, while designing an activity that really got the kids thinking.” Your Business, Your Industry, Your News. Each edition priority delivered to your door. i i i i li . www.waterfordpress.co.nz/subscriptions . t f . . / i ti 03 983 5500 Stay informed; we work with business owners and decision-makers across all economic sectors, profiling their success. t i f r ; r it i r i i - r r ll i t r , r fili t ir . businessnorth The activity involved creating a set of jigsaw puzzles with pictures of different materials commonly found on deconstruction sites. “At the heart of our commitment to sustainability and a circular economy is breathing new life into materials and distributing them back into the community – materials that otherwise would be sent to landfill.” INCREASE YOUR PRODUCTION & VERSATILITY WITH DIGMAX ATTACHMENTS DigMax attachments have been designed with contractors input. Most of our attachments are available off the shelf. Contact us or visit our website for more information. 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