PDAPre-demolition Audits.
AI-powered pre-demolition audits and surveys, carried out before strip-out and demolition begin, turning what would be waste into a costed, reusable asset register your project team can act on.
What is a Pre-demolition Audit?
Book an auditA Pre-demolition Audit, often called a pre-demolition survey, is carried out before a building comes down, to record what materials are inside it and whether any of them can be reused, resold or recycled instead of sent to landfill. It's usually done room by room, or level by level, with everything photographed, measured and logged before the demolition contractor starts work. The output is a structured report, sometimes called an asset register, that lists every material found along with its condition and a recommendation for what should happen to it.
A pre-demolition audit is not an asbestos survey. Asbestos is identified separately, by the refurbishment and demolition (R&D) asbestos survey that HSE guidance calls for before work starts. The two work together: anything that survey flags is kept out of the reuse pathway.
Why you need a PDA?
UK construction, demolition and excavation account for around 60% of the country's waste, and under 4% of it is reused. Most of what comes out of a building is sent to waste because nobody assessed it beforehand. Materials identified early can be listed for resale before demolition starts.
- Expected as a planning condition by most London boroughs
- Earns BREEAM Wst 01 credits, and is a Concept Design requirement under BREEAM V7
- Gives a Circular Economy Statement audit data, not estimates
- Lets the demolition contractor sequence works around salvage
Pre-demolition audits and planning.
For schemes referable to the Mayor, the GLA's Circular Economy Statement guidance (opens in new tab) expects a pre-demolition audit at outline and full application. Westminster and the City of London call it a deconstruction audit. The GLA asks for:
- An independent specialist in reclaiming materials
- Target reuse and reclamation rates
- A schedule of brokers for each reclaimed item
- More than a list of waste routed to crushing
Material Index Audits.
We run AI-powered Pre-demolition Audits before strip-out and demolition works start. Our auditors walk every level and space of a building, photographing and logging what's there. Our platform then classifies each item, estimates quantity and condition, and assigns it a pathway: retain, reuse on-site, reuse off-site, recycle, or waste as a last resort.
You end up with a structured asset register that satisfies BREEAM credit Wst 01 and supports planning conditions calling for a Pre-demolition Audit. It also gives your project team a clear, costed view of what can actually be reclaimed, resold or diverted from landfill before anything comes down.
How it works.
- 01
Cataloguing at site
Fast digital cataloguing through the MI platform with photographic records and location mapping.
- 02
Carbon + waste analysis
Automated reporting with European Waste Codes and embodied carbon calculations for every material.
- 03
Push to reuse
Collaborative online decision making and material exchange through the MI platform.
- 04
Report received
BREEAM-compliant report delivered with full material schedule, quantities, condition and estimated value.
- 05
Goods exchanged
Optional selling through MI Exchange, connecting your materials with verified buyers.
Case Studies.
33 Cavendish SquareBeam
A Pre-Demolition Audit and Pre-Redevelopment Audit survey of a 1962 tower cluster and retail podium at Oxford Circus. The scheme keeps much of the existing frame.
Read the case study
GSK BrentfordJohn F Hunt
A Material Reclamation Audit and tracking dashboard for John F Hunt. We brokered the reclaimed material that came out of it.
Read the case studyAudit Enquiry.
Tell us about your project and we will come back with a scope and a fee proposal.
It helps to include:
- The site address and approximate floor area (GIA)
- The audit you need, or the planning, BREEAM or GLA requirement it is for
- Your programme: when you need the report, and when strip-out or demolition starts
- Any drawings, asbestos surveys or previous audits of the building
We have completed over 250 audits across the UK, to BREEAM, GLA and LEED requirements. We aim to respond the same day, or within 24 hours, and can be on site within 5 days.
What's included in a Material Index PDA.
Deliverables
- Full material scheduleQuantities, condition, and estimated residual value for every material on site
- Photographic recordLocation-mapped photography of all catalogued materials
- Compliance reportReport formatted for planning, environmental, and BREEAM requirements
- Reuse recommendationsPathways for reuse, resale, donation, or responsible disposal
Compliance
- BREEAM Wst01: up to 4 credits for Construction Waste Reduction
- GLA Circular Economy Statement Guidance
- London Plan Policy SI 7 (Circular Economy)
- London Plan Policy SI 2 (Whole Life-Cycle Carbon)
- Westminster Retrofit First Policy
- Data provided in European Waste Codes, BREEAM waste codes, Uniclass component codes, and by building shearing layers
Ideal for
- Demolition and deconstruction projects
- BREEAM-targeted developments
- GLA planning applications requiring Circular Economy Statements
- Portfolio-wide material management programmes
Areas Material Index covers.
We cover the whole of the UK. Read how we meet compliance in specific regions, or get in touch to start your project.
Audit to Action.
Every audit is a live inventory. Use it to catalogue, manage exchange and track your materials. Material Index offers follow-on services to broker your materials to registered Trade Partners before strip-out or deconstruction begins.
Audit
Qualified auditors catalogue every component on site using our audit app.
Collaborate
The project team reviews the inventory together on the MI platform and decides what to retain, reuse or sell.
Exchange
We broker materials to registered Trade Partners through the marketplace, with full tracking and reporting.
FAQ.
What is a pre-demolition audit?
A pre-demolition audit (PDA) is a survey conducted prior to deconstruction, refurbishment, or demolition by independent specialists. It catalogues all materials on site with quantities, condition, embodied carbon data, and reuse potential. Required for BREEAM Wst01 credits and GLA Circular Economy Statements.
When do I need a pre-demolition audit?
A PDA is required for GLA Circular Economy Statements at the pre-application stage, and for BREEAM Wst01 credits at Concept Design Stage (RIBA Stage 2).
Is a pre-demolition audit required for BREEAM?
Yes. Under BREEAM New Construction, Wst 01 Construction Waste Management awards a credit for a pre-demolition audit carried out at Concept Design (RIBA Stage 2). The same audit also contributes to Wst 01's resource efficiency and diversion from landfill credits, and to responsible sourcing under Mat 03.
What does a pre-demolition audit report include?
A full asset register of the materials and components on site, with quantities, condition and embodied carbon. Each item is given a pathway in line with the waste hierarchy: retain, reuse on site, reuse off site, or recycle. The report sets reuse and diversion from landfill targets and gives recommendations, and the project team also gets live access to the audit on the Material Index platform.
How much does a pre-demolition audit cost?
Fees depend on the floor area (GIA), the type of building and the programme. Send us the site address, the approximate GIA and when you need the report, and we will come back with a scope and fee proposal. We aim to respond the same day, or within 24 hours.
How quickly can you complete one?
We can usually get to site at short notice and return the report within about five working days, so it fits around your demolition or strip-out programme.
Do I need one for refurbishment, or only full demolition?
Both. An audit is just as valuable before a strip-out or refurbishment as before full demolition. Anywhere materials are being removed, there is value to recover and waste to divert.
What do you need from us to carry out the audit?
Access to the building and, where available, floor plans, an asset or FF&E list and your demolition or refurbishment programme. We work from whatever information exists and capture the rest on site.