Introduction to Pervious‐ Pervious concrete is simply a “no fines” concrete mix that has minimal or no sand or fine aggregate. Due to this alteration of the concrete mix the concrete has a void structure which ranges from 15% to 35%. This void structure allows storm water to pass from the surface of the concrete though to the stone base underneath and eventually back in to the water table where it belongs. Now the use of pervious concrete is going to bring a multitude of environmental benefits to consumers all while saving money and resources in comparison to conventional storm water handling systems.

Financial Benefits‐ Many developers are going to ask, what is this going to cost me? Lets talk about how much a pervious parking lot will save you. In a development in the state of Washington the initial placement cost of pervious concrete was $64,000 less than traditional asphalt streets with retention/detentions area. After then factoring in the 2 lots that didn’t have to be used for retention space the developer saved over $264,000 dollars. This in addition to all of the environmental benefits makes pervious an easy choice for commercial parking areas. Watch a video at Pervious Concrete Inc. click on "Watch Video" in the left column.

Environmental Benefits‐As the concept of sustainable development begins to shift from a catch phrase to an expectation, the EPA has begun imposing stronger rules and regulations on the containment and placement of storm runoff. We are also witnessing environmental agencies begin to investigate the sealers used on asphalt (read about it here) and their effects on the environment. At the same time the concrete industry is offering a solution that defines sustainability and eliminates storm water runoff, putting storm water back in the water table.

Low Impact Development‐ Where as impervious surfaces push rain water into a sewer drain and eventually into a local lake, river, or stream, pervious concrete allows the water to pass into the earth where it was intended to end up. So when in areas that contained an abundance of paved land pervious concrete can prevent or at least reduce a drop in the water table.

LEED Credits‐ In a library in Atlanta pervious concrete directly contributed to 4 LEED credits and was instrumental in capturing 10 others. Learn more about LEED.

Best Management Practice‐ Pervious concrete is designated as a best management practice for storm water management by the Environmental Protection Agency.

First Flush‐ The first .5 to 1 of rain fall lifts and carries a majority of your pollutants in the rain water runoff. While traditional impervious methods push oil and hydrocarbons into the municipal storm systems pervious concrete mediates 85‐90% of first flush pollutants and then returns the filtered water back into the ground.

Heat Island‐ The heat island effect refers to the increase in ambient air temperature surrounding developed urban areas. This is due to all of the hard surfaces in urban areas and exasperated by dark surfaces that absorbs the sun’s radiant energy. Due to the naturally light color of concrete pervious concrete helps to prevent the heat island effect by reflecting the energy from the sun’s rays instead of absorbing it.

Albedo‐ Thanks to the reflectivity of concrete you may be able to put up to 30% less lighting in a concrete lot vs. an asphalt lot. This means less upfront cost (up to $3,500 per fixture) and a long term savings in lighting cost. A well lit lot also provides safety for employees or tenants going to their vehicles late at night. The developer for the Stratford Place in Sultan WA placed pervious concrete for the driveways and roadways in this 20 home development. There was a savings of over $260,000 dollar on this project by not installing a traditional pavement with retention ponds and traditional sewer hookups.

Pervious concrete offers an environmentally friendly storm water management system, at an economical price. What more could you ask for? Please contact Aaron Harris at 800-678-9622 with any question.

Download/print the Michigan Pervious Specifiers Guide

Learn about conventional concrete parking lots