A Sustainable Pavement Option

Herndon, VA-When you talk about sustainability in pavements most design professionals immediately think of permeable interlocking concrete pavements (PICP), and they forget about the sustainability of traditional interlocking concrete pavements (ICP). Local production, low albedo (solar reflectance) and the possibility of reinstatement makes interlocking concrete pavement a truly sustainable pavement choice.

Interlocking concrete pavements are produced from commonly found non-toxic materials such as sand and gravel. ICPs are manufactured locally, usually within 500 miles of where they are to be installed. Pavers can be produced using post-industrial and post-consumer recycled materials such as fly ash or glass, redirecting tons of material that usually end up in landfills. These features are eligible for credits under the Material and Resources category of the U.S. Green Building Council LEED®, or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, green building certification system.

Using lighter colored ICPs can result in a cooler pavement surface and a lower heat island effect. Pavers can be manufactured in practically any color and often with Solar Reflective Index values greater than 29 percent. This feature is eligible for credits under the Sustainable Sites category of the LEED® program. Light color ICPs can also be used in rooftop applications lowering the heat island effect. The use of ICPs in commercial, institutional and municipal applications can result in cooler surfaces reducing the need for air conditioning and saving energy. Another sustainable feature that can be incorporated into ICPs is the use of titanium dioxide in the face mix of the pavers. Also known as photocatalytic cement, it reduces nitrous oxide air pollutants on warm sun-lit days reducing smog.

A final sustainable aspect of ICPs is their reinstatement feature for utilities. Utility repairs with asphalt or concrete pavement require the asphalt or concrete to be broken-up, removed and disposed of. Then those material must be replaced with new material. With ICPs the pavers and base materials are removed, the utility work is performed then the original base and pavers are re-instated back in place. There is no need for material disposal when interlocking concrete pavements are involved in a utility repair. To learn more  about the sustainable aspects of interlocking concrete pavements contact ICPI at icpi@icpi.org or visit www.icpi.org.

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