Lightcatcher Museum Permeable Pavement
Lightcatcher Museum Permeable Pavement
Lightcatcher Museum Permeable Pavement
About Permeable Pavement
Permeable pavements include pervious concrete, porous asphalt, and spaced pavers, which are installed over special layers of sand, gravel, and soil. Pervious concrete and porous asphalt have small spaces that allow stormwater to soak through them, while interlocking pavers allow water to soak between the pavers. In addition to reducing runoff, permeable pavements help filter out pollutants. Because they are capturing and retaining pollutants, it is necessary to regularly clean the pavement or gaps between pavers to maintain their permeability.
Water quality benefit: Permeable pavement surfaces are effective in managing runoff from paved surfaces because they capture and absorb stormwater runoff at the source. When water soaks through permeable pavements, it prevents pooling of water on the surface. Permeable pavements are also effective at trapping pollutants as the runoff filters through the underlying layers of sand and gravel.
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Permeable pavers not only remove pollutants by allowing stormwater to soak into the ground, but they provide structure and textures to urban spaces and sidewalks.
The sidewalk at the museum demonstrates the benefits such as textural interest and separation of public spaces from the road provided by low-impact stormwater management.
The Lightcatcher Museum also has a green roof. Drought-tolerant, low-growing plants soak up the rain that falls on the roof.
Pervious concrete requires a compacted base comprised of sand and crushed and washed gravel. Rain falling on this sidewalk soaks into the soils below.
