In what has been a distinctly wet summer, we’ve all had to deal with wet pavements and roadways more than we’d like.
However, the increased incidence of flooding means that we may need to look at new ways of paving our streets that will allow them to cope.
Concrete is the widely used pavement material, but it is both a significant contributor to carbon emissions, through cement production, and is impermeable, leading to urban flooding. Flooding currently costs the UK £2.2 billion annually and this is projected to increase to £27 billion by 2080, without significant flood resilient infrastructure investment.
Permeable pavements, on the other hand, rapidly drain stormwater, providing a solution to urban flooding.
In addition, permeability would mean puddle-free surfaces; greater safety and skid resistance and more opportunities for water reuse and groundwater recharge.
The Challenge
The Challenge this time, then, is to devise a paving material that offers all these benefits while continuing to be robust and safe. Existing solutions are currently unsuited to many applications, because of insufficient strength, durability and long-term permeability, and the requirement for frequent maintenance.
As ever, we have a solution in mind, but we want to see what you can come up with.
