Sustainability

The cycle of materials closes

The motivation for the development of the permeable TerraWay® paving system was to provide a high level of eco-friendliness and sustainability. The ecological advantages of our paving solution are numerous.
 

Natural Aggregates

TerraWay® solely relies on natural aggregates. In comparison to coloured stones, this provides the significant advantage of consistent colour that does not deteriorate over time. Equally this approach avoids the need for resource intensive processes in terms creation, improving and amending aggregates.
 

Aggregate from the material cycle

Should the use of alternative aggregates become necessary, they generally originate from the material cycle, such as recycling-glass granulates, which is sometimes used for decorative purposes due to its colour intensity and aesthetic effects.

As the TerraWay® system is certified for LAGA Z0, old surfaces can easily be recycled and re-introduced into the material cycle.
 

Water cycle

The high rate of permeability provided by the TerraWay® System has many advantages for the local water cycle. The most obvious benefit is the increased groundwater recharge rate, as all incoming rainwater can be infiltrated into the substructure below. In this substructure the rainwater can be either directly infiltrated into layers below if a sufficient permeability is available or alternatively can be retained to allow for a delayed infiltration to occur. This also results in significantly reduced surface runoff with reductions in water reaching drainage infrastructure or surface water bodies, which increases the resilience towards both flooding and droughts. Research has even provided evidence, that this direct or delayed infiltration occurs with the safety of filtration effects taking place, thus reducing the risk of pollution of soil below and the groundwater.
 

Microclimate

During long periods of hot and dry weather, the permeable TerraWay® System contributes to improved local climate conditions. The top layer and substructure both have a vast specific surface where infiltrating rainwater can be stored and in return is available for evaporation, with the created humidity binding to fine dust particles and pollution thus lowering the risks for allergies. This evaporation process provides a cooling effect helping to combat the heat island effect and returning some human comfort back into urban areas during heat stress periods. It is also possible to improve the evaporation potentially by adding an artificial irrigation system, to improve climate conditions in a controlled manner.

During night times the low thermal storage capacities allow for a natural cooling effect to establish itself again, if compared to more dense, impervious surfaces. This adds further to improvement of comfort conditions in close proximity.
 

Environmental friendliness and soil protection

As already described in earlier chapters, the tests towards Fish toxicity and LAGA (Z0) confirm, that TerraWay® is 100% environmentally sound. The System is neutral to ground water and can even be used in restricted areas. Its permeability provides significant levels of protections for the soil below, as the biosphere is not impacted. Invertebrates and plants benefit from an undisturbed habitat, in particular sufficient levels of gas exchange and water availability in lower levels of the soil is ensured with the porous structure of the surface. This increases the growth potential particularly for trees significantly. For this reason, the TerraWay® System can show its full potential around trees.
 

Quality a key factor in sustainability concept

The durability and resistance of the TerraWay® allows for a long life cycle, in particular in combination with adequate maintenance, repairs are very rarely required. Even if damages should occur, the surface does not need to be replaced on a large scale but can be repaired locally. Should the surface be weathered down by wear and UV radiation, the surface can easily be refreshed with little effort. This improvement in the life cycle is not only to the financial benefit of the owner, but also protects the environment with the avoidance of waste and increased resource demand. Its sustainability is also visible in maintenance, as normal(physical) cleaning methods are generally sufficient and artificial detergents are rarely required to clean the surface.

If you want more detailed information about the TerraWay®, please contact us