Pavers - Retaining Walls - Patio Stones - Edgers - Hardscapes » Permeable Pavers

Paving with Eco-Priora Permeable Pavers at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado

Pavestone — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 23:54:28 +0000

The permeable, interlocking pavers that Pavestone offers have benefits beyond aesthetics. They make for a beautiful road, yes, but the Civil Engineering group at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado Spring, Colorado had several other reasons to select an interlocking, permeable Eco-Priora ™ paver from Pavestone.

The existing asphalt roads at Peterson Air Force Base weren’t able to handle the use that they were being put under. The asphalt roads were flooded throughout the rainy seasons in Colorado, causing damaged pavement and inconveniences for the Base. The roads needed to be replaced, but in a way that would be sustainable and at a cost that was justifiable.

Pavestone construction at Peterson Air Force Base

Pavestone’s Eco-Priora ™ was selected for half a dozen reasons beyond its eye-catching appeal:

Durable: Paver roads can outlast a standard asphalt road by two or three life cycles.
Flexible: Pavers allow movement during the freeze and thaw cycle without damage to the road – important for a snowy climate like Colorado.
Maintenance free: Colored paver stones completely eliminate the need to restripe.
Repair friendly: Individual pavers can be removed and replaced for underground work.
Environmentally friendly: Additional stormwater storage was provided.
Compliant: Met the EPA and Department of Defense mandates to reduce runoff.

The finished product at Peterson Air Force Base

Plans have already been made to use the permeable, interlocking Eco-Priora ™ Pavestone products in future projects on the Base.

Interlocking Concrete Pavers

Pavestone — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 14:25:57 +0000

August Project of the Month – Pueblo County Health Department Building

Paver Contractor: South Side Lawn & Landscape, LLC – Pueblo, CO

General Contractor: Bassett Construction Co. – Pueblo, CO

Owner: Pueblo County – Pueblo, CO

Pueblo County Health Department Building is our project of the Month for August. Installed in May of 2009, the Health Department Building was the catalyst for the continued use of interlocking concrete pavers in Pueblo.

The importance of responsible building has become more apparent with issues such as erosion, water quality and elevating temperatures in streams, rivers and lakes, which are a direct result of stormwater runoff from impermeable pavements. The federal government, with the assistance of the U.S. Green Building Council, has offered incentives to business and local municipalities to utilize green building techniques such as permeable pavements.

Permeable concrete paving stones have been used in Colorado for a number of years. In areas which experience large stormwater volume, permeable paving stones help control runoff, mitigate storm surge and improve water quality. While completely functional, these paving stones appeared industrial, minimizing the aesthetic appeal typically associated with concrete pavers.

In 2009, South Side Lawn & Landscape LLC installed the first Eco-Priora pavers into the parking lot for the Health Department Building for the County of Pueblo. Eco-Priora pavers are ADA compliant variations of the old permeable pavers, but with the look of a normal paver. While drainage was not an issue at the site, Pueblo opted to take advantage of the LEED Credits and wanted to control the stormwater runoff before it made its way into the stormwater system. The design of this particular pavement utilized a containment area beneath the aggregate bedding layer, storing the stormwater. The aggregate bedding layer coupled with on site storage reduced the impact on the storm sewer system, reduced the water temperature and removed many of the pollutants which would have normally passed into the watershed.

Due to the success of this project, Pueblo has installed 2 other Eco-Priora projects at the Annex Building and the Municipal Justice Center totaling more than 45000 sf of permeable pavers.

It’s Easy Being Green

Michelle Brown — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 20:50:56 +0000

Today’s designer must overcome challenges such as: Where do we “hide” the new water-saving and energy-efficient hardware, and how do we design eco-friendly landscapes to please clients used to water-hungry foliage.

While meeting the challenges of the Green movement seems daunting at times, efficient product design and clever integration makes these challenges far more manageable.

The suburban Greenhaven residential housing project located in Chelsea Landing, East Cobb County, Georgia exemplifies such a creative use of Green technology and design. Even before it was fashionable, Richard Feis, president of Pace Homebuilders in Atlanta, Georgia recognized the importance of Green building strategies. Every home at Greenhaven carries EnergyStar and EarthCraft certifications, and incorporates the Xeriscaping landscaping method whenever possible. Xeriscaping reduces or eliminates the need for supplemental water supply by capturing and distributing rainfall. Xeriscaping is promoted especially in areas without easily accessible fresh-water supplies; however, Xeriscaping is gaining popularity in other areas as well because it saves homeowners money every month, and it is Earth-friendly.

Greenhaven, the first eco-friendly neighborhood in its area, carries the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED for Homes certification and showcases the latest in green-building techniques.

Harvesting Water

Among Greenhaven’s Xeriscaping features is its rainwater harvesting system. Rainwater harvesting is an excellent strategy for reducing dependence on municipal water supply. Collecting rainwater also reduces storm-water runoff, the number-one pollutant of rivers and streams. Rainwater collected and used onsite recharges the ground-water aquifer, and eliminates energy costs associated with moving water from another location. Natural rainwater is cleaner than other water sources, further reducing the required energy expenditures for treatment.

The Greenhaven water harvesting system employs The Original Rainwater Pillow. According to the manufacturer’s website, (www.rainwaterpillow.com), the system can harvest 1,000 to 40,000 gallons of rainwater. The flexible horizontal rainwater storage system used at Greenhaven is the 3,600-gallon, 15x11x3.4-foot model. It was installed out of view under the home’s deck.

Collecting Water Through The Hardscape

The rainwater pillow itself must be fed to do its job. So how does the water get there? Enter the Eco-Venetian Stone, a tumbled permeable-paver product manufactured by The Pavestone Company. At Greenhaven, the pavers cover the 4,800 square-foot driveway, as well as 400 square feet of front walkway. The paver’s joint profile allows surface water to infiltrate into the pavement and its sub-layers. With its initial 100 inches-per-hour permeability average flow-rate, the pavers meets a majority of current storm-water management plans. It also assists in meeting current EPA storm-water regulations.The paver’s modular square and rectangular shapes, as well as its cleft surface set it apart from other permeable pavement treatments. The design achieves a fine balance between good looks and efficient water-collection capabilities.

The Road To Green Success

It is an exciting time to be a landscape architech, as these professionals operate on the forefront in transforming our world into a place that is both beautiful and Earth-friendly. As environmentally-conscious building practices becoming more popular with consumers, rainwater harvesting, along with other eco-friendly landscape technologies, are poised to become standard features. The landscape contractors who understand how to incorporate such technologies into their projects will see their business success and professional standing increase dramatically.

Eco-Priora Pavers Used in Project of the Month

Pavestone — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 15:04:47 +0000

Pavers: Eco-Priora Pavers

Paver Contractor: Rocky Mt. Hardscapes – Denver, Colorado

General Contractor: ECI Site Management – Loveland, Colorado

Owner: The City of Fort Morgan – Brighton, Colorado

For over a decade, officials for the City of Fort Morgan debated the necessity of updating the City’s Downtown Main Street Shopping District. In concert with an undersized and antiquated drainage system, persistent flooding from rain and snow melt regularly damaged store fronts, impacting existing businesses and sending potential tenants elsewhere. While it was apparent to the City Council and Mayor Jack Darnell that a solution was needed, there was some debate on what should be included in the scope of the project.

The overriding necessity of the project was addressing the outdated and undersized infrastructure. Some storm water pipes were over 40 years old, several sections were obsolete and often piecemealed together. The poor condition of the existing pavement and the desire for updated landscaping drove the city to several upgrades, including permeable pavers. According to Pat Merrill, City Manager, “We needed to utilize pavers to assist with drainage, as well as for the aesthetic qualities. Pavestone had an excellent reputation and the price was right!”

18,000 square feet of Eco-Priora pavers were installed in designated parking areas directly in front of the Main Street Shopping District. The location of these pavers would not only eliminate store front flooding, but would nearly eliminate the potential for icing. Snow melt would immediately infiltrate through the Priora paver joint, significantly reducing the need and associated costs of deicing salts. If deicing is required, aggregate layers within the permeable paver base acts as a filter, cleansing the infiltration and reducing possible contaminates. Another feature of the Fort Morgan Streetscapes is the use of pavers as striping. While the bulk of the field pavers are Winter Blend, the City opted to use Limestone pavers as the parking stripes which will reduce the upkeep costs associated with painted lines.

The entirety of the project was completed in 88 days, ahead of schedule and on budget. Pat Merrill said at the end of the project” It exceeds our expectations and looks beautiful.”

Project of the Month: Spotlight On Permeable Paving

Pavestone — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 14:48:23 +0000

January Project of the Month – St. Augustine Catholic Church

Paver Contractor: Continental Hardscapes – Golden, Colorado

General Contractor: Bernard’s Custom Construction – Brighton, Colorado

Owner: St. Augustine’s Church – Brighton, Colorado

The St. Augustine Catholic Church project in Brighton, Colorado consisted of a large parking area of 64,000 sf, installed with the use of Optimus mechanical paver laying equipment.

St. Augustine’s Parish began in 1887 with the collaboration of Bishop Machebeuf, William Howlett and the assistance of 12 area families. Originally, the parish was a quaint brick building with a wooden steeple. Since then, the parish has expanded into a majestic facility with over 800 families attending Sunday services.

With such an increase, it became evident additional parking was required. Not only must the site accommodate the parishioners, but it also needed to compliment the aesthetics of the church itself. In addition, a major concern was safety and the possibility of ice forming in low spots and potholes in asphalt.

As the existing storm sewer infrastructure in Brighton exceeded capacity, the City encouraged church officials to consider alternative designs and advocated a permeable parking structure. St. Augustine’s reviewed a variety of permeable and porous pavement systems before choosing Pavestone Eco-Priora™. Coupling the “front end” costs with life-cost analysis, the church decided Eco pavers “had the better package” according to Ken Anderson, Business Administrator for St. Augustine Catholic Church. Furthermore, they opted to utilize Pavestone’s new Platinum series, which added additional vibrancy and greater color variation.

50,000 sf of the main parking area was installed mechanically. Material was installed a layer at a time (approximately 10 sf per layer), which dramatically reduced installation time and labor costs when compared with hand lay. Water filters between the pavers, through a stone-bedding layer, then directly into the ground, recharging area groundwater.

Permeable pavers have provided the church with the results they were looking for. The Platinum Eco-Priora™ is not only “lovely” but also very functional, ecologically friendly with the benefit of addressing the “icing” issue.

Download your copy of the Pavestone Hardscape Herald published by our Denver Branch – Henderson, Colorado
303 -287- 3700

TimberCreek Zero Energy House

Pavestone — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 19:34:21 +0000

The TimberCreek Zero House was the official Show House of the 2009 Sunbelt Builders Show™. Whiz-Q partnered with Pavestone to sponsor this energy efficient home. The TimberCreek Zero Energy House is a 2500 square foot demonstration project for the Department of Energy’s “Building America” program to encourage homeowners and builders to take the next step in living and building in a more fiscally and environmentally sensible manner.

Steve Akin, CDC Sales for Pavestone, submitted the two Pavestone videos at the link below. Steve says that perm paving is the wave of the future, both in harvesting rainwater and controling flow into city sewage systems.

Pavestone Surfaces and Pervious Driveway

Backyard Pavestone

See All 32 Zero Energy Videos Here:
The TimberCreek Zero Energy House Videos

Let us know if you have any permeable paving projects that you would like to show off on our blog.

Earth-Friendly Paving Solutions

Pavestone — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 20:20:47 +0000

No related posts.

Permeable Pavers – Not Just For Urban Environments

Pavestone — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 20:25:55 +0000

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This latest showcase was submitted by John Rowe from Pavestone’s Denver office.

Fort Morgan, a small agricultural town in northeastern Colorado, has incorporated 17,000SF of permeable pavers to their downtown renovation project. They chose EcoPriora Winter Blend for the field and utilize a bright Limestone color for parking lane demarkations. All of the parking places in a two block area are permeable — they look great and offer the city a fully functional driving service as well as a safe way to dispose of toxic runoff.

The runoff from the street as well a the parking places are all drained back into the subsoil where the toxins are filtered off as the water makes its way back into the subsoil well beneath the surface of the street. Rocky Mountain Hardscapes installed the pavers in only two weeks and are very impressed on how easily this paver system is put into service.

If you would like your Pavestone project shown on our blog, just send me an email with pictures and details.