Large-scale community-driven projects like parks present a myriad of difficulties. For one, open spaces in communities can often be difficult to transition into usable land. Also, parks seem to be notoriously bogged down by oversight and committees.

Continue reading “How to Bring a Park to Life With Porous Pavement” →

If you have a path, driveway, or patio and are planning on redoing it, then you may have heard about porous paving? It’s also known as permeable paving or, rarely, pervious paving. There are a number of advantages – particularly for a patio or pathway in your yard.

Porous paving is designed to allow water to seep through it rather than letting it run off the side. Here are some of the advantages:

1. They are better for the environment – and for local flood management. Because the rainwater seeps in rather than ending up in the storm drain, there is less risk of a flood. Also, the water is cleaned of pollutants as it seeps through the gravel base under the pavement. Porous pavement can also be made from recycled materials such as concrete or glass.
2. They reduce irrigation costs by directing the water into the soil under the path or patio, from where it can flow into your garden.

   

3. They often look better. As porous paving consists of a series of tiles rather than one solid surface, you can create interesting patterns. Some people like to put the stones a bit further apart and allow grass to grow between them. They also come in a wider variety of colours. Another alternative is tiny stones which give the same look as traditional asphalt – but can be laid in different colours and patterns.
4. They last longer. Because the paving stones can flex, they don’t crack as easily with seasonal temperature changes and they can handle high traffic.
5. They don’t reflect as much heat – especially if you live in a hot and dry climate. This helps the health of local vegetation, makes your patio more comfortable to relax on in summer, and can even help reduce heat build-up in your car.

If any or all of this sounds good – then contact StoneSet to find out about their range of porous pavement products in a variety of colours and materials.

Let’s talk about “Going Green“. You hear the word tossed around a lot, and its’ meaning seems to draw a fine line between environmental awareness and publicity. In an effort to be transparent, we are going to draw up a list of pros and — strangely enough — cons of using porous paving as part of your green project.

 

Continue reading “Porous Pavement: The Pro’s and Con’s of Going Green” →

Cities are, generally speaking, hotter places to live than more spread out suburban or rural areas. The main culprit for this is something called the heat island effect, which is a fancy way of saying that heat tends to linger in cities, making them hotter than the surrounding area.

Continue reading “What Are The Benefits of Porous Paving? It’s A Step Toward Resolving Heat Island Problems” →

If you live on the coast in Australia or New Zealand, StoneSet’s porous paving products provide the pathway to a more environmentally responsible living arrangement. Concrete does not do so well in coastal areas and it’s not good for the environment. Concrete cracks, crumbles, and shifts on our sandy shores.

Continue reading “Benefits of Porous Paving for Coastal Properties” →