The demolition of Heretaunga House in Hastings will see 97 per cent of the building materials recycled.
The demolition, which began in April, is on track to be completed by the end of the year.
The Hastings District Council decided in late 2021 to demolish the large building on the corner of Lyndon Rd and Warren St, rather than pay up to $24 million to restore it.
Sustainability was a key focus for the demolition to reduce the amount of building and construction waste going to landfills.
The materials are now in the hands of those who need them across Hawke’s Bay and the world.
Regional demolition and construction waste minimisation adviser Geoff Gibson said the commitment to sustainable practices during the Heretaunga House demolition had been inspiring.
“We’ve managed to redirect an impressive amount of useful material to help communities in need, in the process setting the standard for responsible demolition practices within Hastings.”
Two tonnes of plasterboard had been salvaged and on-sold for use in building projects in the ongoing cyclone recovery process, along with 36 heat pumps and four kitchens.
Timber, carpet tiles and doors were shipped to Tonga to help with the rebuild of communities after the earthquake and tsunami in January 2022.
There were also 1500 carpet tiles removed that will be used in a new waste education centre at Ōmarunui Landfill.
The project has also helped to establish the first flat glass recycling programme in Hawke’s Bay.
The three-storey building was formerly home to council staff and other tenanted offices but was vacated in June 2020 when an engineer’s report deemed it unsafe and earthquake-prone.
A council spokesperson said the site would likely be developed into a commercial office building in the future and could include an “inner-city living component”.
Paunovic moved to Havelock North with her family from Croatia seven years ago.