PERMEABLE INTERLOCKING CONCRETE PAVEMENT (PICP)
RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL DEVELOPERS FACT SHEET

Storm Water Benefits

+   Reduces or eliminates stormwater detention and retention ponds, storm sewers, drainage appurtenances and related costs.

+   Increased income potential from increased lot utilization due to reduced or eliminated stormwater basins.

+   Pavement surface increases curb appeal.

+   Provides 100% permeable surface by runoff passing through small, open-graded aggregate-filled openings between solid high-strength, durable concrete pavers.

+   Helps meet local, state and provincial stormwater drainage design criteria and provides compliance with U.S. National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) regulations.

+   Meets U.S. Environmental Protection Agency stormwater performance criteria as a structural best management practice (BMP) while providing parking, road and pedestrian surfaces.

+   LEED® point eligible for Sustainable Sites, Water Efficiency, Materials & Resources and/or Innovative Design; Contributes to Green Globe points.

+   May be used on sloped sites with proper design.

+   ADA compliant.

+   Concrete pavers are available in various shapes and colors from local ICPI members; colored pavers mark lanes and parking spaces.

+   Simplifies surface and subsurface repairs by reinstating the same paving units; no unsightly patches or weakened pavement from utility cuts.

Environmental Quality Improvement

+   PICP fits "Green" or sustainable development approaches.

+   PICP may be combined with other LID tools such as rain gardens and vegetated swales.

+   Permeable pavements remove the majority of pollutants (zinc, copper, phosphorus and suspended sediments) by reducing runoff, slowing the flow of water and filtering.

+   Increases building opportunities

+   Reduces demand on the sewer systems.

+   Conserves on-site space: roads, parking, storm water infiltration and retention all combined into the same space creating more green space.

+   Preserves wooded areas that would otherwise be cleared for storm water detention or retention ponds.

+   Increases site infiltration that helps maintain predevelopment runoff volumes, peak flows and watershed timing

+  Promotes tree survival and growth.

+   Contributes to urban heat island reduction through evaporation and reflective, light colored concrete pavers.

+   Highly visible, cost-effective exemplary demonstration of a cornerstone LID technique for public and private development.

Application Opportunities

+   Urban: Office plazas, sidewalk replacement, street tree planting areas, parking lots, parks and outdoor seating areas.

+   Suburban: Parking lots, parks, driveways, parking bays on roadways, subdivision roads and sidewalks.

+   Redevelopment Sites: Parking areas, plazas and public spaces and sidewalks.

Construction Checklist

+   No compaction of soil sub-grade - excavate and trim native soil.

+   Geotextile, drainage pipes and overflow vary with design.

+   Ensure no sediment and mud on aggregates from equipment.

+   Install and compact aggregate sub-base and base with typical paving equipment

+   Specialty equipment used for screeding bedding layer and for mechanical paver installation

+   Mechanical installation equipment accelerates construction; typical 5,000 sf (500 m2)/machine/day

+   Concrete pavers, non-frozen bedding, and base/sub-base installable in freezing temperatures over non-frozen soil sub-grade.

+   Paver joints filled with open-graded aggregate and compacted.

+   No curing time - ready to use upon installation; modular construction allows for project phasing.

+   Specify ICPI certified (Creative Hardscape Company, Inc.) installers with PICP construction experience, inspection and detailing skills. 
 
Performance / Volume Reduction

+   Meets or exceeds runoff local volume reduction standards via base reservoir storage.

+   Well maintained PICP can reduce runoff volumes from intense rain events typically between 70% and 90%; flooding less likely.

+   Reduced stormwater runoff volumes generate cost savings in infrastructure sizing and construction.

Peak Flow Reduction

+   Reductions in peak flow may reduce stormwater utility fees.

+   Permeable pavement can reduce peak flow by as much as 100%, producing runoff rates nearer to predevelopment conditions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1.   Can PICP save money on project costs?
   A1.   Yes. When total project costs are factored, PICP may be cheaper than other paving solutions due to multiple benefits from PICP. One example is gaining stormwater management infrastructure with the money spent on paving.

Q2.   Can PICP be used on clay soils?
   A2.   Yes. Even in clay soils, PICP reduces runoff and helps to capture rainfall events "first flush" and reduce pollution.

Q3.   Can PICP be used to replace every kind of pavement?
   A3.   PICP is best suited for use in areas of low speed traffic such as parking lots, residential streets, driveways, patios, plazas, sidewalks and parking lanes. Nevertheless, PICP has been successfully used even under heavy commercial loads.

Q4.   Will PICP enhance property values?
   A4.   The data from installed PICP projects indicates that PICP meets multiple criteria for project success including enhancing property values.

Disclaimer: The content of this web page is intended for use only as a guideline. It is not intended for use or reliance upon as an industry standard, certification or specification. Creative Hardscape Company, Inc. makes no promises, representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, as to the content of this web page. Professional assistance should be sought with respect to the design, specifications and construction of each permeable interlocking concrete pavement project.

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