Porous Pavement

This sustainable urban technology is designed to address significant environmental challenges, including stormwater management and the urban heat island effect. It allows water to permeate through its surface, thereby reducing runoff, recharging groundwater, mitigating flooding, improving water quality by filtering pollutants, and reducing surface temperatures, creating cooler urban environments.
Porous Pavement

Urban areas worldwide face the dual challenge of managing stormwater runoff and mitigating the urban heat island effect. Traditional impermeable pavements exacerbate these issues by preventing natural water infiltration, leading to increased flooding and elevated surface temperatures. Porous pavement, also known as pervious or permeable pavement, offers a sustainable solution to these urban problems by allowing water to permeate through its surface, thereby reducing runoff and cooling the urban environment.

Porous pavement is a specially designed surface composed of materials such as porous asphalt, pervious concrete, or interlocking pavers. Unlike conventional pavement, it features interconnected void spaces that enable water to pass through and be absorbed by the underlying soil. This technology works by capturing rainwater on its surface, which then filters through the pavement layers, trapping pollutants and recharging groundwater. The absorbed water is gradually released into the ground, mimicking the natural hydrological cycle disrupted by urban development.

As urban areas continue to expand and face the challenges posed by climate change, including more frequent and severe weather events, innovative solutions like porous pavement are crucial for building resilient and sustainable urban infrastructures. By integrating this technology into city planning and development, municipalities can not only manage stormwater more effectively but also enhance the overall quality of urban life, ensuring cities remain habitable and environmentally friendly for future generations.

TRL
9/9Established
Category
Reduce the Adverse Effects of Natural Disasters
By 2030, significantly reduce the number of deaths and the number of people affected and substantially decrease the direct economic losses relative to global gross domestic product caused by disasters, including water-related disasters, with a focus on protecting the poor and people in vulnerable situations.

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