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What is Pervious Concrete?

Pervious Concrete (also called porous concrete, high porosity concrete, permeable concrete, and no fines concrete) is a special type of concrete that allows water from precipitation and other sources to pass directly through it. This reduces the collected surface runoff from a site by allowing natural groundwater recharge instead.

Pervious concrete is made using large aggregates with little to no small aggregates. The concrete paste then coats and glues the aggregates together, allowing water to pass through the concrete slab. Pervious concrete is traditionally used in parking areas, areas with light traffic, residential streets, pedestrian walkways, and greenhouses. It is an important application for sustainable construction and is one of many low impact development techniques used by builders to protect water quality.

 

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Benefits of Pervious Concrete:

  • Reduces stormwater runoff
  • Reduces or eliminates the need for retention ponds
  • Reduces impact and cost of stormwater treatment infrastructure and public safety liability
  • Replenishes water tables and aquifers
  • Allows for more efficient land development
  • Minimizes flash flooding, standing water and backflow into the property causing damage
  • Prevents warm and polluted water from entering streams and affecting marine habitats
  • Mitigates surface pollutants
  • Reduces Heat-Island Effect
  • Enhances traction and helps minimize the potential for hydroplaning
  • May assist in earning points for green certified buildings
  • May assist in discounts and refunds through various green programs

 

IN THE NEWS: Interactive Construction installs what is likely Victoria’s first Pervious Concrete driveway!  (As seen on VicNews.com)

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Water-absorbing driveway leads green push in Victoria

A Fairfield home is likely the first in Victoria to install a driveway that lets water run straight through it, an innovative approach that saves the homeowner cash and lessens the load on city pipes.

Ron Manuel decided to install pervious concrete after learning about the City of Victoria’s pending stormwater utility. In January 2015, Manuel will become one of a few Victoria homeowners eligible for up to a 40 per cent discount under new bylaws that reward locals for keeping their rainwater on their property.

“I think it’s great,” he said, hosing the driveway to demonstrate the lack of run-off water. “This can take gallons of water a minute, and it just runs straight through.”

For all residential homeowners, the city will soon begin calculating the utility charge from the hard area footprint, or roof coverage, of each home. Driveway footprints… Read more from this article, posted by Vicnews.com.

 

Interested in watching it in action?  We’ve found a great video on YouTube, click the image below to watch…

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