Don't Waste Buildings is a non-party political campaign launched in late 2022 by Will Hurst, managing editor of The Architects’ Journal; Leanne Tritton, chair of The London Society; and Richard Nelson, managing director of Abyss Global and ambassador for the Institute of Directors Property and Built Environment Group. Based in London, it draws around 150 volunteers from architecture, engineering, development, finance, and heritage fields who attend in-person meetings and site tours.
The group targets embodied carbon emissions from demolition and new construction, arguing that empty or underused UK buildings represent untapped resources for housing amid a shortage. It seeks policy changes and financial incentives to favor reuse over replacement. Membership spans a LinkedIn group of over 800 and chapters in West Midlands, North West, Scotland, and Australia.
Activities include case study tours, such as the February 2025 visit to fire-damaged Walworth Town Hall, a Grade II-listed structure restored after years of neglect, and a November 2024 tour of Birmingham's Cornerblock, a 1980s office repurposed for new tenants. In late 2024, it hosted a policy roundtable with 50 government and industry figures, producing a report on retrofit incentives, and participated in events like Futurebuild 2025. No fees or sponsors fund its independent operations.