The Talk & Listen Corner with Changemaker Lyndsey West
In the latest of the Changemaker series released by FOOTPRINT+, KpH Managing Director Lyndsey West talks with Tim Pyne, Design Director at FOOTPRINT+, about driving change in deconstruction.
The Changemaker series is produced by FOOTPRINT+, the UK property event for a climate resilient future, taking place on 13-14 May 2026 at Old Billingsgate, London.
In the UK, construction and demolition waste accounts for over 60% of all waste generated. That’s why it is so important to integrate circular economy principles into projects, to keep products and materials in use for longer. This means less need for new materials and so less waste generated, supporting a reduction in embodied carbon.
At KpH huge progress has been made to make material reuse business as usual. This has involved a change in how the whole team approach strip out projects. Early planning and comprehensive material mapping have been instrumental in helping to unlock and maximise reuse potential across multiple waste streams.
In the film Lyndsey explains that there has been a huge shift in how projects teams think about material reuse and how it was crucial to engage with the entire business to effect the change together. Teams were empowered to work differently and through ‘talking and listening’ were able to identify new and improved processes.
“Now we look at buildings completely differently… what can be reused, how can we get it back into circulation, back into the industry.” Lyndsey West, KpH Managing Director
The film also explores the wider challenges created by early design and specification decisions and the importance of collaborating early on in the process to embed circular thinking.
At KpH through collaborations with manufacturers, charities and marketplaces, over 2.6m items have been reused on and off site since 2022.
Whilst much progress has been made, wider industry collaboration is still needed to access better product data, more storage facilities, and improved regulation around material exchange.
KpH has a “reuse first” approach and is continuing to explore how materials used within soft strip refurbishment projects can be reused, recycled and repurposed. More change is coming.
Find out more here
To learn more about FOOTPRINT+ 2026, explore the line-up and find out how to attend, visit footprintplus.com
Meet the Changemakers
A FOOTPRINT+ video series celebrating the people driving meaningful change across the built environment.
From pioneering design ideas to progressive leadership, each episode offers insight into the thinking shaping a more resilient future. Meet them here: https://www.footprintplus.com/awards
