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 | | AARDVARK CONCRETE IN UNIQUE ECO PUSH | | | Aardvark Concrete | | 21/07/2008 | | | Aardvark Concrete – the North West’s leading concrete specialist – is set to become the first UK supplier to pioneer an environmentally-friendly product in a bid to help tackle the increasing risk of flooding.
The company is offering household customers what’s known as pervious concrete – a porous material that allows rainwater to pass directly through the concrete and into the surrounding ground. It follows a series of trials carried out on the eco-friendly product in recent months.
Aardvark Concrete is understood to be the only concrete supplier in the country to be offering the product through its newly launched division, Aardvark Driveways.
The company – which specialises in providing ready-mixed concrete to trade contractors and consumers – intends to roll out the product to commercial customers and property developers later in the year.
Pervious concrete is widely used in the USA due to its unique cement-based structure. It’s proven to drain water through it at a rate of eight to 12 gallons per minute, per square foot. As a result, the material has been nicknamed “the pavement that drinks water”.
Mick Duignan, general manager of Aardvark Concrete, commented: “Pervious concrete is a durable and environmentally sound product that ticks all the green boxes. It’s been used in the USA for the last 50 years. But, with climate change becoming a headline problem there’s no better time for this material to be introduced on a country-wide scale in the UK.”
The introduction of pervious concrete into its product range places Aardvark firmly in line with impending legislation set out by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra). Under the government’s Water Strategy 2008, homeowners will be required to make better use of water through improved technology and water-efficient products.
Duignan said: “In order to reduce the risks from surface water and decrease the amount of water running into our drains, house builders and homeowners will, in future, be required to get planning permission for paving over gardens unless porous material is used.”
He added: “Research shows that rainwater runoff can send as much as 90% of pollutants – such as oil and other chemicals – directly into our drainage systems. By using pervious concrete, those chemicals are naturally filtered out, allowing clean rainwater to be soaked back into the soil where it belongs.”
Top five benefits of using pervious concrete:
• Reduces rainwater runoff
• Replenishes water tables and aquifers
• Allows for more efficient land development
• Minimises standing water
• Prevents polluted water from entering the drainage system and streams. | |
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