It’s no secret that the United States and the rest of the world are heading towards total climate catastrophe. Rising temperatures, water levels, and unpredictable weathering events are all erupting worldwide, raising concerns about climate change.
Although the little guys, like homeowners, are much less responsible for adverse impacts on the environment than large corporations are, there are still plenty of small ways that ordinary people can become more sustainable. One step you can take to reduce your carbon footprint as a homeowner is incorporating permeable driveway pavers into your landscape design. Permeable pavers are a fashionable and environmentally-friendly option for driveways, patios, pathways, and more.
What Are Permeable Driveway Pavers?
The term permeable might ring a bell from way back in your middle or high school science classes. Permeability measures the ease that water can move through porous rock. Permeable pavers are driveway, walkway, or patio pavers that allow rainwater to flow through their surface easily. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), permeable pavements “infiltrate, treat, and/or store rainwater where it falls.”
Permeable pavers are particularly useful in areas where flooding or icing is common, and land values are high. When paired with fill materials like sod, limestone, or gravel, this cost-effective pavement solution allows stormwater to soak into the soil evenly and naturally.
Porous and Pervious Pavers Are Good, Too!
If you’re considering installing a permeable driveway or other paved structure on your property, you might hear the words porous, pervious, and permeable, all used interchangeably. Although the concepts are similar, there are some slight differences between these terms. The Water Environment Federation’s Stormwater Report outlines the key differences here, but all three P’s provide ongoing stormwater infiltration past the top pavement layer.
Permeable Driveway Paver Materials:
Permeable pavers are made from a few different materials, including:
- Pervious concrete
- Porous asphalt
- Permeable interlocking pavers
- Concrete pavers
- Brick pavers
Each of these pavement materials has its own unique advantages and disadvantages, so it’s best to discuss your options with an experienced landscape architect or designer to determine what’s best for your property and the local climate. Permeable pavement is easy to install, and your preferred landscaping company can assist in all aspects of design, planning, and implementation.
Environmental Benefits of Installing Permeable Driveway Pavers
If you’re looking for an environmentally friendly pavement option, permeable pavers are the way to go. The long-lasting materials are an integral part of innovative green infrastructure and provide a wide range of benefits for your residential landscaping. Here, we take a closer look at those environmental advantages of permeable pavers:
1. Durable
First off, permeable pavers are incredibly durable. You can find permeable pavers made from materials like pervious concrete, asphalt, or bricks, which are all built to last. The long lifespan of permeable pavers helps the environment because you don’t need to replace the paved surface as often as other alternatives. The less impact on the environment, the better.
2. Versatile
Another excellent advantage of permeable pavers is their versatility. You can utilize permeable pavers in several different ways around your property. Install permeable pavers for:
- Driveways
- Paths
- Walkways
- Sidewalks
- Patios
- Pool decks
- And more
Permeable pavers are a fantastic choice for properties of all different shapes and sizes. Whether you want to cover a large area or just need a simple pathway across your property, permeable pavers are a perfect solution.
3. Aids Drainage
Permeable pavers also make it easier for water to drain from your property, another great environmental benefit. Rainwater infiltrates and flows through the paver system, helping the water drain away from your home, avoiding a swampy buildup of backlogged water.
Using permeable pavers to aid the drainage in your yard is a cost-effective solution since you can avoid installing expensive drainage systems or connection costs to municipal water.
4. Provides Erosion Control
For lawns with sloping landscapes, drainage and erosion can be critical concerns. Permeable pavers provide effective erosion control for properties of all sizes, grades, and slopes. By trapping and slowly releasing rainwater into the surrounding soil, the permeable paver system relieves pressure on the local water system or low-lying areas of your property.
5. Treats Rainwater
Below the surface of your property, you will find the water table, which rises during rain and flooding events. If the water table is too full, permeable pavers can hold water and help avoid flooding on your property until the water levels fall again. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, permeable pavers provide the following advantages for rainwater treatment:
- Permeable pavers reestablish a natural hydrologic balance and reduce runoff volumes by trapping and releasing precipitation into the ground slowly instead of allowing it to run into stormwater drains.
- It can reduce the concentration of pollutants either physically, chemically, or biologically.
- Permeable pavers cool down the temperature of urban runoff, reducing stress on the surrounding environment.
- By controlling stormwater runoff, permeable pavers reduce the need for a wet detention pond, saving money, land, and other resources.
Installing permeable pavers is an effective way to reduce your property’s impacts on the local environment. In fact, some cities around the country even have incentives and initiatives to promote the installation of permeable pavement to help reduce urban runoff challenges.
Your preferred landscape architecture company can help you find these initiatives or other resources for installing a permeable paved surface on your property. With a comprehensive design and installation plan, you can be receiving all the benefits of a permeable pavement solution after a simple installation process.
Step Up Your Sustainability
With the ever-growing effort to combat climate change, average Americans are looking for unique ways to reduce their environmental impacts. Permeable pavers are a practical solution, providing several environmental advantages to homeowners. Get excellent drainage, erosion control, and a durable paved structure for your property by installing permeable pavers. You can contact your local architectural landscape design company to develop an attractive permeable paver design for your driveway, walkways, or patio.