Piper Whitney’s move toward installing permeable pavements and use of sustainable, eco-friendly products came from our desire to offer other choices to our clients. We believe construction can have a low environmental impact. Many of the products we install are made from recycled materials such as plastics and tires. Our permeable installations are sustainable alternatives to traditional hardscapes meant to replace traditionally used materials such as nonporous asphalt and concrete. This low impact development(LID) offers environmental benefits while having strength and durability needed for our daily living.
Choosing to install permeable paving has many advantages over traditional hardscape. Traditional hardscapes shift with the seasons as temperature and moisture conditions change, causing cracks and buckling. The base of the permeable system makes permeable paving an all-weather, all-season system. Furthermore, the voids in the permeable base allow tree roots and other vegetation to grow without being choked off by concrete and asphalt, which often results in damaged root systems and lifted, broken concrete.
As city infrastructure continues to grow and develop, concerns about the health and viability of our waterways increase. Stormwater is the most significant pollution throughout the United States. Stormwater pollution comes from fertilizers, oils, pet waste, lawn debris, and other contaminants. Permeable surfaces allow water and pollutants to drain to the soil below, where gravel and nature’s microbes help filter and break down pollutants, while removing surface level solids, oils and other toxins. Permeable paving captures and slows down the flow rate of stormwater into our cities’ drainage systems reducing flooding and standing water in parking areas and around businesses or homes.
Texas’ natural ecosystems and habitats in our bays, bayous, lakes, and streams become less polluted by urban runoff when permeable pavements are utilized. We live, work, and play surrounded by water. It’s no brainer that cleaner water for all of us is a good thing.
