Some of the more successful new green products are pervious pavers or pervious concrete. As you travel to the malls, walk into county courthouses or even land in a plane, these can be seen around you, but most people are not aware of the extent these products are used in the world.
Standard concrete or asphalt driveways are known as impervious surfaces. This means they prevent the infiltration of water back into the ground, forcing rainwater elsewhere. The more impervious surfaces a project has, the more there is a need for stormwater management thru gutters and basins. Impervious paved surfaces cause the land underneath it to be useless for capturing rainwater so vital to our surrounding streams and rivers, and in fact, often carry pollutants such as car oils, grease and lawn chemicals into gutters and out to the streams.
Pervious material allows the infiltration of rainwater, while still effectively serving its purpose and in some cases, providing a longer lasting surface than their impervious counterparts. There are many types of pervious materials such as grass pavers and pervious versions of the more familiar concrete and asphalt. Like their impervious counterparts, they help to stabilize the soil from erosion, and are strong enough to support the weight of traffic and pedestrians. They are structurally sound and used for public parking lots, fire lane access for emergency vehicles, pedestrian walkways, and golf cart paths to name a few.
Grass pavers are often seen in overflow parking areas of companies and malls. They are made of concrete or recycled material, and are usually laid in a hatch pattern. The center of each paver is open, allowing grass, mulch or stones to be installed. This creates an open area for the water to seep down into the ground while giving a greener and more natural appearance than vast areas of pavement. In addition, grass pavers can reduce what is known as “heat island” effect. Asphalt and concrete can create its own warmer microclimate near the product. Not only does this reflect back to nearby buildings, increasing the need for air conditioning, but it also affects the surrounding wildlife who cannot sustain the increase in temperatures.
Pervious concrete or pervious asphalt are fundamentally the same as their sister products, but do not contain some of the smaller particles. This creates open pores, allowing water to seep thru the product and into the ground. Aesthetically, they provide a neater appearance than grass pavers while still allowing absorption and retention of rainwater by the underlying soil.
Green building guidelines such as the LEED program promote the use of these products over the standard construction paved surfaces. Their advantages in managing stormwater, reducing run-off pollution in local streams, reducing the need for stormwater basins and gutters, and reducing heat islands should give them a place in more and more development projects.
Standard concrete or asphalt driveways are known as impervious surfaces. This means they prevent the infiltration of water back into the ground, forcing rainwater elsewhere. The more impervious surfaces a project has, the more there is a need for stormwater management thru gutters and basins. Impervious paved surfaces cause the land underneath it to be useless for capturing rainwater so vital to our surrounding streams and rivers, and in fact, often carry pollutants such as car oils, grease and lawn chemicals into gutters and out to the streams.
Pervious material allows the infiltration of rainwater, while still effectively serving its purpose and in some cases, providing a longer lasting surface than their impervious counterparts. There are many types of pervious materials such as grass pavers and pervious versions of the more familiar concrete and asphalt. Like their impervious counterparts, they help to stabilize the soil from erosion, and are strong enough to support the weight of traffic and pedestrians. They are structurally sound and used for public parking lots, fire lane access for emergency vehicles, pedestrian walkways, and golf cart paths to name a few.
Grass pavers are often seen in overflow parking areas of companies and malls. They are made of concrete or recycled material, and are usually laid in a hatch pattern. The center of each paver is open, allowing grass, mulch or stones to be installed. This creates an open area for the water to seep down into the ground while giving a greener and more natural appearance than vast areas of pavement. In addition, grass pavers can reduce what is known as “heat island” effect. Asphalt and concrete can create its own warmer microclimate near the product. Not only does this reflect back to nearby buildings, increasing the need for air conditioning, but it also affects the surrounding wildlife who cannot sustain the increase in temperatures.
Pervious concrete or pervious asphalt are fundamentally the same as their sister products, but do not contain some of the smaller particles. This creates open pores, allowing water to seep thru the product and into the ground. Aesthetically, they provide a neater appearance than grass pavers while still allowing absorption and retention of rainwater by the underlying soil.
Green building guidelines such as the LEED program promote the use of these products over the standard construction paved surfaces. Their advantages in managing stormwater, reducing run-off pollution in local streams, reducing the need for stormwater basins and gutters, and reducing heat islands should give them a place in more and more development projects.
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