Infraset Building and Landscaping Products recently saw its Uni-Ecolok permeable interlocking concrete pavers installed for the first time on a suburban property in eastern Johannesburg where the former house has been converted to offices.
The conversion meant that almost 95% of the 1 120 m square metres property would generate runoff, being under roof or hard surfaced, and this would cause an increase in the stormwater volume being discharged onto roads and into stormwater drains. When the make-over plans were given the go-ahead, the Ekurhuleni Council stipulated on-site stormwater attenuation as one of the conditions for the project's approval.
The council accepted that permeable concrete block paving (PCBP) offered an appropriate solution to its stormwater attenuation requirements. Consequently, permeable paving is installed on the driveway and in the back yard of the property, over an area of 480 m square metres.
The PCBP installation was designed by Croswell Engineers. Steve Pearse from the firm says that Infraset's Uni-Ecolok pavers were selected because, with their L-shaped design, they have exceptionally stable interlocking properties and are especially appropriate for use in parking areas where there is a lot of turning traffic.
The sub-base of the installation is designed to ensure the structural stability of the finished paved area while also allowing for water to filter through the layers of aggregate and geofabric membrane. All the layers are installed at a gentle slope to ensure that any water that does not infiltrate the sub-grade soil will drain gradually towards two PVC outlet pipes and from there to runoff.
Earle Stark, marketing executive for Infraset Building and Landscape Products, says the company obtained the licence to manufacture the Uni-Ecolok system locally from Germany's Uni-International. "After researching global markets thoroughly, we saw Uni-Ecolok as the best PCBP solution. Extensive research and testing by Uni-International in collaboration with German universities and engineers has produced permeable paving products which rank among the world's best," says Stark.
As well as its interlocking stability, Uni-Ecolok has enhanced permeable properties, making it suitable for a wide range of local paving requirements. In addition, it will conform to the new SANS 1058 standard to be introduced later this year.
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