On our recent episode of Inside Out with Belgard, our host, Joe Raboine, chats with Kevin Earley, Director of Commercial Hardscapes at Oldcastle APG, about technical aspects of permeable pavers, the benefits of green infrastructure, and traffic calming. In addition, they discussed the resources and expertise available within Belgard to support contractors and municipalities, and much more.
What is Green Infrastructure?
Sustainability and overall green awareness are growing trends in the outdoor industry, and more contractors have a greater desire to learn and adopt these practices. They’re realizing that an opportunity as large as environment-conscious design is becoming a standard practice in many markets.
Green infrastructure is a popular design aspect in sustainable, green projects. The practice is a nature-mimicking solution that reintroduces rainwater into the environment to recharge aquifers and prevent flooding and excessive erosion. Green roofs, rain gardens, and planter boxes are elements of green infrastructure that can easily be woven into designs. Permeable pavers are another popular solution, as they mimic how water goes into the ground as part of a distributive system that builds a sustainable landscape without sacrificing quality. Many local, county, and state municipalities recognize these solutions and are encouraging the implementation of regulation throughout communities.
The Idea of Living Streets
Permeable pavers also offer a direct economic benefit for commercial and residential areas. Houses, businesses or other structures on pavers versus traditional asphalt tend to have a higher price value due to increased aesthetics and traffic calming benefits, making the area safer for occupants and residents.
These types of benefits have inspired a design concept called living streets, where streets are designed for all modes of transportation, including pedestrians and bikes, forcing drivers to slow down in urban areas. Permeable pavers, also known as permeable interlocking concrete pavements (PICP), are ideal for a living street to easily incorporate landscaping and improve enjoyment and recreation in multi-use spaces. The design also merges biophilic design concepts by integrating plants and improving the environment through an innovative and sustainable approach, which can improve people’s quality of life if adopted.
How Belgard Can Expand Your Business
Belgard has some of the industry’s leading experts with knowledge of various trends, such as green infrastructure, to help you expand your business. Contractors can start by getting to know their local sales representatives and turning to them for input, especially on large commercial projects. Our local teams have the resources to tap into the national team to assist contractors with expert input and provide them with invaluable resources such as help with product specification, availability, suitability and more.
Our commercial team even supports commercial projects in the bid process. The team works with contractors to help them with planning review, offering design input and material quantity estimates. The Belgard Commercial team also supports a network of local engineers. By connecting them with contractors, they’re able to obtain valuable feedback from local experts who know the ins and outs of the industry in their communities.
Listen to the Full Episode and More
You can hear the entire conversation with Joe and Kevin on episode 18 of Inside Out with Belgard. Keep up with the series by downloading and subscribing today. Inside Out with Belgard is available wherever you listen to podcasts.
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