What does your driveway, carpark walkways and tennis courts all have in common? Many of them do not adequately allow water to return to the ground, allowing the water to pool.
Traditional asphalt and cement do not filter water and instead allow industrial chemicals, oils, and other pollutants to run into nearby storm drains and gutters where they then enter our domestic water supplies and natural surroundings.
In addition to this, some of the more common, traditional forms of pavement, produce what we call heat islands, these pockets of hot air are common to urban and heavily paved areas. These heat islands, produced by paving which is not absorptive and dry, can make the ground of a parking lot, paved patio, or driveway feel as much as 90 degrees hotter than the surrounding air.
In order to reduce the impact on the environment and keep cool in those hotter climates, porous paving presents as an aesthetically pleasing and green choice for driveways, pedestrian walkways, and patios. The permeable nature of porous paving allows for landscaping with trees, grasses, and shrubs while also allowing surplus water to drain through to the ground. Aesthetically, the applications for porous paving are numerous and diverse. Porous pavingâs can be found in applications ranging from your driveway and walkways to industrial landscaping and local parks.
As a surface material for driveways and pathways, porous paving can help reduce the overall long-term cost of building and home preservation by allowing water to drain through and return to the ground. In turn this prevents run-off into nearby storm drains, which may carry harmful pollutants such as residue from household cleaning products or even gasoline spills from vehicles back into the potable water supply.
Adding to its infrastructural benefits, porous paving gives property owners the flexibility of adding landscaping to their driveways and walkways. The nature of the paving enables water and minerals to reach the roots of the vegetation keeping your garden alive. The same benefit applies to parking lots as well. Instead of a purely functional space, the parking lot can now add to the ambiance and atmosphere of your business with appropriate greenery.
If you would like more information about porous paving and how it can help your business or home, please feel free to contact us.
Dave Barnes