Permeable Paving

Permeable Paving

P

ermeable paving is a term used to describe paving methods for roads, parking lots and walkways that allow the movement of water and air around the paving material.

This type of pavement is an important component in low impact development, a process that attempts to minimize impacts on water quality.

Hardscapes USA manufactures several permeable paving units that help deal with the problems associated with water runoff from paved surfaces:

  • SF-Rima
  • Octabrick
  • Belgian Cobble
  • Percstone

Each of these concrete pavers helps control the volume of runoff from precipitation, which causes serious erosion and siltation in streams and other bodies of waters.

Permeable Paving FAQs

Are Permeable Pavers eligible for LEED® credits?

Yes, they can under the U.S. Green Building Councils (USGBC) guidelines. Permeable Pavers typically can meet the requirements for Conservation of Material and Resources, Recycled Content under the USGBC LEED for new construction where at least 20% of the building products should be manufactured within a radius of 500 miles of the project. Most paving units are locally manufactured and delivered to projects within 500 miles.

Permeable Pavers can meet the LEED® credit requirements under Sustainable Sites. These requirements limit site disruption and water pollution by managing stormwater. The pavements can reduce runoff-generating impervious cover and decrease the rate and quantity of runoff. Permeable Pavers meet these credits through the filtering action of the base that reduces total suspended solids and phosphorous in runoff, as well as other pollutants.

Permeable Pavers can also meet the sustainable sites requirement to reduce urban heat islands (thermal gradient difference between developed and undeveloped areas) and minimize impact on microclimate, as well as human and wildlife habitat. This is accomplished through increased albedo (a measure of the solar energy reflected from a surface) or use of a pavement system with less than 50% imperviousness. Permeable Pavers have substantially higher reflectivity than conventional asphalt pavement and can meet the requirement for less than 50% imperviousness.

Does the surface conform to ADA requirements?
Yes. ADA Design Guidelines require that surfaces be firm, stable and slip resistant. PICP designs can provide a firm and stable surface for visually impaired persons and those using wheeled mobility devices. If the openings in the surface are not desirable, solid units can be used in areas subject to disabled persons. Such areas might include designated spaces in parking lots.
What intensity and duration of storms can be managed?
That depends on amount of water that drains onto the PICP, the depth (and storage capacity) the base, the infiltration rate of the soil under an open-graded base, and the presence of drain pipes within an open-graded base. PICPs are intended to manage water quantities and pollutants from smaller, more frequent storms such as those with a return period of 10 years or less. These storms tend to be shorter in duration and often have the highest concentrations of pollutants. PICPs are not intended to control flooding from larger, infrequent rainstorms.

SF-Rima Pavers

SF-Rima

SF-Rima
SF-Rima™ is a high-quality portland cement concrete paving stone that can be assembled to provide a high quality pavement surface.

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