[Posted on December 5 2014 by: Barry Stiles]
If you are a building or design professional, you’re likely familiar with permeable pavement as an alternative to impervious surfaces like traditional concrete. You are probably well aware that these more recently popularized materials have a wide scope of outdoor construction applications including parking lots, roadways, sidewalks, patios and public recreation areas.
But what you may not know is that all permeable paving options are not at all created equal. In fact, the practical and environmental benefits offered by innovative TRUEGRID plastic ground reinforcement systems far outweigh those of older types like permeable asphalt and concrete.
Here are four things to know about permeable pavement, before choosing a material for your new project:
- Permeable paving is not really a new thing. Materials like cobblestones and pebbles have been used for millennia, before the dawn of the modern-day “concrete jungle.” A pervious version of concrete was utilized for surface paving in Europe during the 1800s, though it has only existed in the U.S. for the last 50 or so years, and porous asphalt has been used in its current form since the 1980s.
- The most contemporary and innovative design, exemplified by the TRUEGRID system, offers 100% permeability. And unlike pervious concrete and asphalt, grass paving systems are truly green. Not only can living vegetation be allowed free growth over the hi-impact polymer, it is also completely non-toxic and void of potentially harmful chemicals contained in some other pervious materials.
- TRUEGRID permeable paving system is made from 100% recycled post-consumer material. And the UV-stabilized polymer that comprises TRUEGRID systems is also an exceptionally resilient material—able to withstand more than 6800 psi when filled, making it strongerand more durable than either rolled or concrete pavers.
The benefits of permeable pavement extend even beyond durability, cost-efficiency and environmental friendliness. Green paving solutions also offer cooler temperatures for pedestrians or outdoor diners by greatly reducing the amount of trapped heat in the ground. And they create generally quieterand safer surfaces than impervious materials by allowing for natural sound absorption and reducing hazards caused by standing water on driving surfaces (think: hydroplaning).
