Pre-Demolition Audit Practice and European Circular Construction Frameworks: Insights from a Czech Case Study

European circular construction policies, including the EU Construction and Demolition Waste Protocol and the Level(s) framework, provide strategic guidance for improving material recovery from buildings. However, limited research documents how these frameworks operate under real project conditions, characterised by incomplete information, evolving inventories and market-dependent recovery pathways. This paper documents a pre-demolition audit carried out in the Czech context and maps the observed process onto the EU CDW Protocol and Level(s) Indicator 2.2 framework. A structured implementation approach is applied to an in-depth case study of the selective deconstruction and deep refurbishment of an office building in the Czech Republic. The results show both the circular recovery potential and operational feasibility of the audit process, illustrating how audit recommendations evolved through documentation review, field verification and engagement with potential material outlets. The findings demonstrate that feasible recovery routes depended not only on material identification and technical recyclability but also on market verification, stakeholder coordination and legal or organisational enablement. The case further highlights the importance of auditor expertise and brokerage in enabling reuse and recycling routes under real project constraints. Insights from the case study are discussed in relation to experiences reported in other European countries. This study contributes empirical evidence documented in relation to European circular-construction frameworks and suggests that PDA reporting should combine mass-based indicators with the transparent documentation of recommendation maturity, implementation constraints and reporting-boundary assumptions.