Mutu and NZCB partner to improve construction materials reuse
April 7, 2025
Every year, New Zealand’s construction industry sends more than 1.6 million tonnes of waste to landfill – enough to fill Eden Park eight times over. Construction materials reuse is a key way to reduce construction waste and improve sustainability across building projects.
Key outcomes
- Reduced construction waste sent to landfill
- Increased construction materials reuse across projects
- Lower procurement and disposal costs
- Improved visibility of surplus materials
- More sustainable building practices in New Zealand
Mutu and New Zealand Certified Builders (NZCB) are launching a pilot programme to improve construction waste management in New Zealand by reducing landfill and improving material reuse, while saving builders time and money.
The Mutu app allows builders to list surplus construction materials for reuse on a public marketplace, making it available to other app users. This means that materials such as excess GIB board or reinforcing mesh that might otherwise be sent to landfill can be repurposed on other building sites, often at a discounted price to what they would cost new.
In addition, the app measures and tracks the environmental and financial impact of material sharing, including cost savings, waste diverted from landfill, and carbon emissions avoided.
Previously available only to major construction firms to coordinate the allocation of materials between their sites, the Mutu-NZCB pilot will be the first time the app has been made available to smaller residential builders.
Selected NZCB members in Auckland and Christchurch will trial the app for six months, with a view to understanding how it performs for builders in this different market segment.
“We’re excited to be the first building association in New Zealand to partner with Mutu,” says NZCB Chief Executive Malcolm Fleming.
“Our members are always looking for ways to build sustainably and affordably for their clients, and the Mutu app will allow them to do both.
“This partnership allows SME residential builders to access a programme normally reserved for larger businesses for the first time. It’s a great tool, and one that NZCB members will get a huge amount of value from.
“This isn’t just about waste—it’s about rethinking how we build,” says Ben Redwood, Mutu’s CEO.
“By connecting NZCB’s trusted builders with Mutu’s circular economy tools, we’re making it easier to reveal, reuse and report. This is more than a partnership. It’s a major milestone in the journey towards a circular economy in New Zealand construction.”
What’s next?
The Mutu-NZCB partnership will begin with pilot programmes for NZCB members in Auckland and Christchurch.
Based on the results of these pilots, the organisations expect to make the app available to all of NZCB’s approximately 3,000 members around the country by the end of 2025.