Contech CEO Derek Bilby recently joined Yarns with Andy, a construction-focused podcast exploring some of the industry’s most pressing challenges, including sustainability, technology, and the future of infrastructure. 

The conversation focused on a question central to Contech’s work: why repairing and extending the life of existing assets is often a better outcome than demolition and rebuild. 

Asset life extension and sustainability 

Construction accounts for a significant share of New Zealand’s carbon emissions, with material production and demolition contributing heavily to embodied carbon. In many cases, retaining and strengthening existing structures can deliver meaningful carbon savings, alongside shorter construction programmes and earlier returns for asset owners. 

As Derek explains, refurbishment is not about short-term patching. When done properly, it involves detailed investigation, robust design, and proven remediation techniques that can extend asset life by decades while meeting modern performance standards. 

Concrete, carbon, and smarter decisions 

While concrete remains carbon intensive, it continues to underpin most infrastructure due to its durability and reliability. Rather than replacement, the industry is increasingly focused on smarter use. 

This includes targeted mix design, the use of supplementary cementitious materials, and repair and protection systems that slow deterioration and reduce whole-of-life carbon. Often, the most effective sustainability gains come from better decisions about existing assets. 

Technology and informed refurbishment 

Advances in investigation and digital tools are reducing uncertainty in refurbishment projects, helping asset owners understand what they have before committing to major works. As these tools become more accessible, refurbishment is increasingly seen as a deliberate, data-led strategy rather than a compromise. 

The opportunity ahead 

The discussion also touches on workforce change. With an ageing industry and historically slow digital uptake, construction presents real opportunities for the next generation to drive productivity and sustainability improvements at scale. 

As Derek notes, it remains one of the few industries where teams can point to long-lasting, tangible outcomes and say, “We built that”. 

Watch the full conversation with Derek Bilby on Yarns with Andy via LinkedIn.