Why Do I Need Permeable Paving?
Compared to the traditional methods of paving such as using concrete slabs, asphalt or stones, our Rainsmart Nero Pave has a wide variety of benefits ranging from environmental to the low maintenance of the product.
Creating a permeable surface
Unlike typical solid paving materials, the Nero Paves recycled polypropylene material can be used to create a permeable paving surface, allowing water or other liquids through to the grass or gravel beneath. This keeps the soil hydrated and healthy, as the Nero Pave provides bioremediation which breaks down pollutants in the soil.
Cools the surface temperature
The combination of the plastic material and temporary water storage results in a cooler ground surface and a cooler temperature around nearby buildings when Nero Pave is installed. This is especially useful in the summer heat!
Allows for reuse of rainwater
The permeable properties of Nero Pave allow for the reuse of stormwater for a variety of different applications. The system on its own allows for stormwater to hydrate soil and grass through infiltration as opposed to channelling it away to a drain. However, if our Nero Drainage Cells are installed below and are connected to an Ellipse Soakaway Crate, the Nero Pave can be an important piece of a water storage system.
The system is set up with a channel of Nero drainage cells below your Nero Pave feeding soakaway crate at the end of the run of drainage cells. The water will then be stored in the soakaway crate - see the diagram below for an example of this.
Ease of installation
Each individual piece of Nero Pave is extremely lightweight coming in 600mm x 500mm. They are simple to clip together using the pre-clipped panels on the pavement and require no specialist tools or knowledge to complete the installation.
Structural integrity and capacity
Nero Pave is strong enough to support a heavy weight load of up to 230 tonnes per square metre. This allows the system to be used for various applications that may expect a lot of vehicle traffic such as a car park or road, this includes areas where extremely heavy vehicles are expected to be parked or driving through such as fire lanes or construction access lanes.
Root development & grass growth
The hexagonal holes in each cell of paving allow for the development and growth of grassroots. This allows for grass to grow and look as it would naturally, masking the pave look entirely once the grass has grown long enough. Once the grass has fully grown, the roots interlock between the holes of the plastic paving and become secure.
The cell structure provides a protective casing around the grass nodule which encourages grass regeneration and improves its speed. The high loading capacity also protects the roots from being damaged by compaction as the cell takes all of the weight. This creates a natural, healthy-looking grass surface even in an area of high weight and volume traffic.
If used with a shingle then the shingle will fill the holes providing a compact and level installation.
To find out more about our Nero Pave permeable paving solutions and about how you can use them in your project then get in touch today.