News
Britain's Empty Buildings Could Unlock Billions, DWB Tells Treasury
Don’t Waste Buildings launches groundbreaking report, The Reuse Dividend: Unlocking Economic Growth from Britain's Existing Buildings, at a reception in the Palace of Westminster on 14 April, hosted by Labour MP Rachel Blake.
DWB publishes landmark report ‘The Reuse Dividend’
THE REUSE DIVIDEND: HOW BRITAIN'S EMPTY BUILDINGS CAN REBUILD COMMUNITIES AND DRIVE ECONOMIC GROWTH. DWB launches landmark international study showing how other countries are unlocking billions from building reuse – while Britain's tax system holds it back – with key recommendations for the British Government.
DWB Launches East Chapter
Don't Waste Buildings is thrilled to welcome Aoife O'Gorman, Director at BCR-Infinity Architects, as our new East Chapter Lead.
DWB Attends Circularity in Practice Launch
DWB Co-Founder, Leanne Tritton, attended the Circularity in Practice initiative launch, where she had the honour of meeting His Majesty King Charles III.
NPPF Consultation Response Submitted
Last week, we submitted our response to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government's consultation on the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), written by our co-founder Will Hurst with expert guidance from member Estelle Dehon KC.
Queens University Belfast Sustainable Construction Conference
Don't Waste Buildings (DWB) was proud to be part of this year's 2026 Annual Sustainable Construction Conference at Queen's University Belfast (QUB) on 24th February.
Hornsey Town Hall Restoration Showcases Heritage and Environmental Benefits of Retrofit
Our first DWB case study tour of 2026 took in this landmark building which was removed from the at-risk register while demonstrating a low-carbon alternative to demolition and new construction.
DWB launches South West Chapter
A great start to 2026 as Nick James joins Don’t Waste Buildings as our new Chapter Lead for the South West UK, where he will be co-ordinating and leading on projects across Bristol, Bath and the region.
Finishing 2025 with a policy win
Don’t Waste Buildings finishes 2025 on a high note with the government’s release of the updated UK National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), including several proposed passages to give ‘substantial weight’ to reuse of existing buildings.
Hastings Commons transforms derelict buildings into community assets
Don’t Waste Buildings organised a tour and roundtable discussion with Hastings Commons, a community land trust that has been demonstrating an innovative model for transforming abandoned buildings while keeping neighbourhoods alive.
How Might We podcast features DWB
DWB co-founders Will Hurst, Leanne Tritton and Richard Nelson were recently featured on How Might We.
UH Architecture Retrofit Lecture
The University of Hertfordshire Architecture programme invited Don’t Waste Buildings co-founder, Richard Nelson, to deliver a lecture about the group on October 28th.
Sustainable Ventures’ Innovative Low-Carbon Workspace
Sustainable Ventures Showcases Innovative Low-Carbon Workspace at Historic County Hall
From Banking Brutalism to Sustainability Beacon: Inside The Acre's Remarkable Retrofit
Read about our recent case study tour of The Acre in Covent Garden, London, a fine example of how reuse can deliver high performance, low carbon, and lasting value—without sending a building to landfill.
19 Cornwall tour report
Read the tour report and view photos from our DWB West Midlands Chapter tour of 19 Cornwall Street in Birmingham on 26th June.
Podcast - Let's talk about money: Retrofit needs to be profitable
Listen to the podcast of our session from FOOTPRINT+, which took place on 15th May 2025.
Portsmouth Hosts Groundbreaking Retrofit Discussion
Portsmouth became the latest city to join the national conversation on sustainable building reuse as stakeholders from across the built environment gathered on 4 July for a tour and roundtable hosted by Don’t Waste Buildings and the Sustainable Conservation Trust.
Landmark Retrofit and Reuse Tour in Bristol
More than 20 people came together with DWB in Bristol on 13 June to explore some of the city's recent retrofit projects in a tour and roundtable discussion aimed at tackling the environmental and policy challenges facing building reuse in the UK. (Downloads available.)
A New Heart in Coventry
11th June saw 30 people visit Coventry University’s College of Arts and Society for a tour co-ordinated by Don’t Waste Buildings to showcase this powerful example of how smart, sustainable reuse can unlock societal, environmental and cultural value for a local place.
A Call to Action for the Built Environment
In a powerful and packed evening of insight and provocation at DesignInc in Melbourne, the Don’t Waste Buildings event on June 11th–hosted by Australian Architects Declare–galvanised architects, designers, and policy thinkers to rethink the industry’s default response to aging buildings: demolition.