The building industry is using a considerable amount of resources, but if the life cycle of the material on site is closely examined, it is generally known that there is a relatively large portion of the materials being wasted because of poor material control on building sites. The problem of material wastage is not an isolated issue on construction sites. It is also an environmental concern. Hong Kong is running out of both reclamation sites and landfill space for the disposal of construction & demolition (C&D) waste. Many resources can be conserved and the amount of C&D waste required to be disposed of should be greatly reduced if better management of materials is practiced on building sites. This paper reports on a recent study conducted in Hong Kong relating to material control on construction sites with high‐rise multi‐storey buildings. In the paper, the causes of building waste are identified and the wastage levels of various trades for public housing and private residential projects in Hong Kong are quantified. The role of material control in reducing building waste is then discussed in details under three headings, namely design, material procurement and handling, and site management and practices.