Sustainability
Societal benefits
The effects of sustainable building practices on a community include social benefits such as a greater sense of community, increased aesthetics, more educational opportunities, an increase in environmental quality, plus lower longterm costs and energy use. Concrete pavers used in many beautiful municipal projects directly add to community pride. In addition, sustainable building practices can contribute to pride in community, increases in “green” behaviors such as recycling or use of more energy efficient technologies. It is more economical to use concrete pavers manufactured locally saving fuel and energy consumption.
Environmental benefits
ICPI members through installation of permeable interlocking concrete pavements (PICPs) help to eliminate detention ponds. This elimination results in less cleared land, more natural surroundings, less stormwater runoff and decreased pollution.
In addition, installation of high-reflectance interlocking concrete pavements (ICP) can help decrease the urban heat island. The main cause of the urban heat island is modification of the land surface by urban development with materials that retain heat. As population centers grow they tend to modify a greater and greater land area and have a corresponding increase in average temperature. Studies show that the heat island effect is responsible for 5–10% of peak electricity demand for cooling buildings in cities.
Life cycle benefits
Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) is a methodology for assessing the environmental performance of a service, process, or product over its entire life cycle. Life Cycle Analysis includes goal and scope definition, inventory analysis, impact assessment, and interpretation of social, environment and economic impacts. LCA has become the recognized international approach to assessing the comparative environmental merits of products or processes.” ICPI studies revealed interlocking concrete pavements (ICPs) have an average life of at least 29 years. An additional study now underway is investigating concrete paver energy use to obtain a better understanding of energy use and corresponding carbon footprint. Interlocking concrete pavement’s with their longer life reduce environmental impacts over other types of pavements.
Concrete Pavers Earn LEED® Points
USBGC LEED Logo
Within the North American design and construction community, a means for addressing sustainability or ‘green building’ is through LEED® or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. Developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) in 1998, LEED® provides voluntary guidelines for reducing energy and wasted resources from building and site design. LEED® rating system.
Permeable Pavements Reduce Stormwater Runoff
Runoff Permeable Interlocking Concrete Pavements (PICPs) are eligible for LEED® credits under the U.S. and Canadian Green Building Councils (USGBC and CaGBC) guidelines. PICP can meet the LEED® credit requirements under Sustainable Sites. These requirements limit runoff and water pollution by managing stormwater. The use of permeable pavements can reduce runoff-generating impervious cover and decrease the rate and quantity of runoff. PICP meets LEED® credits through the filtering action of the base that reduces total suspended solids and nutrients in runoff, as well as other pollutants. ICPI members supporting permeable pavement have led to the installation of nearly 14 million square feet in North America in 2008.
The Concrete Joint Sustainability Initiative
The Concrete Joint Sustainability Initiative is a coalition of industry associations representing companies who make or maintain concrete structures. We share a goal of educating ourselves, our members, and our customers about the role and responsibilities of concrete in sustainable development.
Formed in the spring of 2009, the Concr
Joint Sustainability Initiativeete Joint Sustainability Initiative represents over 20 assocations that, as a group, will concentrate on the sustainable development applications of all concrete structures. It aims to project a unified industry front and present a common message. The Initiative is not an organization; it has no staff. Officers and staff members of its partner associations attend meetings. These staff representatives are relied on to carry out its activities. Member task groups have been created to develop and implement current program objectives.http://www.sustainableconcrete.org