Conserving our Most Important Resource

Water is a natural resource that is vital to our vary existence, yet one that is highly taken for granted. This reality is the same for people everywhere, and one that knows no geographical boundary.

The importance of protecting this resource has been easier to comprehend for those people in geographical locations where rain is not abundant. For those areas were water is abundant though, this realization has taken a bit more time to realize and accept.

Stormwater runoff to date is well documented to be a major contributor to pollution in our waterways. This is of course due to the fact that present conventional systems can not handle the volumes of water as well as treat them adequately before they enter our waterways.

While policy makers take time to move forward to protect this natural resource, we believe that you as owners, developers, and individuals can help protect this resource well in advance of being mandated to do so, and at a cost that is more than affordable.

Please take some time to read this article and contact SCC if you have any questions about how our products and services can be of use to you on your next project.

Together we can be a positive impact on our most important resource.

Here is the link to the article http://db.tt/EAbewKF

Pervious Concrete - Beyond Normal Applications

Pervious concrete is well documented for its benefits as a hardscape surface in all sorts of slab on grade applications, but how about an application on a second floor, is it possible?

Such an application has typically been reserved for paving stones, or sloping conventional concrete. The use of pervious concrete in such an application, for commercial patios or garden atrium areas found on residential towers, has great potential. In such an application the product system can be designed to positively impact storm runoff similarly to what is offered with green roofs.

This past year SCC had the opportunity to place our classic mix pervious concrete over a structural concrete slab for a second floor patio application. This application was of particular interest to the project owner due to it's ability to provide a flat patio, which eliminated the tenant's wobbly patio furniture issue as well as made the patio completely handicap accessible.

The challenges of successfully completing a pervious concrete job in an application above grade are great, however with proper knowledge, tools, and planning, are an achievable reality!

Select the following link for your downloadable copy: http://db.tt/EPP0jII

Patching Pervious Concrete - A Reality

Damage to the surface of pervious concrete after it is placed, finished, and covered is irreversible… or is it?

Whether creating a custom pool surround in a residential setting, or a shopping mall parking lot in a prominent commercial area, the challenge for the concrete tradesmen is universal. How do you repair damage caused from uncontrollable circumstances? If you are in the business you will know that is not a matter of if, but a matter of when the footprints, animal tracks, or names will be carved into the concrete of one of your projects.

With pervious concrete, the solution to this has been to remove and replace the damaged panel or section. As anyone can appreciate, this is a costly and time-consuming practice and unnecessary for all but the most extensive damage or vandalism.

SCC has addressed this problem by developing a pervious patch method. This method not only bonds with confidence to the pervious concrete surface, but still looks and performs as it should. As most people are aware of, patches in conventional concrete generally appear to be big ugly spots highlighting the damaged area. With our pervious patches the damaged area is concealed showing very minimal colour differential.

Although it is far from ideal to have to repair your perfectly installed work, there is no longer any need to worry.

2010 Perv Master's Ball - Las Vagas

Some of you may have heard of the Perv Master's Ball (short for Pervious Concrete of course). This first of its kind event occurred September 23rd - 25th in Las Vagas at CalPortland's ready mix plant.

Only a select group of individuals actively involved with pervious concrete in the industry were in attendance, and SCC was one of them. The event's founder was Dave Mitchell, Bunyan Industries. The purpose of the event was to share and compare various advances in mix design, testing, etc that the individual attendees have been successful with to date. The common denominator though between the various mix designs for this event was the aggregate. Each mix design that was poured, placed, and finished, was only half covered with poly on purpose.

Various tests were performed on the concrete during the event with others that were completed later after the typical 7 day curing was completed. The tests performed during the event were impressive by any standard. One such impressive test was the non ASTM concrete truck ravel and edge strength test at 24hrs (that is correct, 24 hours, see picture below). The heat of course helped achieve such great early results, but the foundation was a great mix design.

A more conventional test that was performed on each sample was the ASTM C1701 for infiltration rates.

This was a very successful event in which much was shared and learned by all. With events like these, and the solid networking that occurs from them, pervious concrete is sure to no only grow in its technology but in industry as well. Many thanks to Dave Mitchell for taking the initiative to suggest and implement this event. We look forward to next years event.

Fort Langley Community Hall

It is the time of year to place concrete, and we are pleased to announce that our pervious concrete is being well received throughout the lower mainland and abroad.

We will be posting project data sheets, similar to the one below, on completed projects. We hope these sheets will help you to better understand what is involved in a pervious concrete pavement system, as well to educate you on the many applications for our products. Lastly, we hope you will see the benefits that pervious concrete pavement systems provide the environment, our waterways, and our future generations.

Select the following link for your downloadable copy: http://db.tt/xxn6wAO

Seattle RainWise Program a Commendable Idea

Excessive storm water runoff and the damage it causes to our salmon spawning waterways is a common issue affecting many regions all along the west coast, on both sides of the boarder.

Presently this excessive runoff negatively impacts our waterways through soil erosion, conveying pollutants, and in general making the sustainability of aquatic life nearly impossible. I believe that the City of Seattle, and their RainWise program, is one of the first to take a proactive approach to resolve the issue through means other than new development.

The RainWise program is one that clearly acknowledges the issues, how to resolve them, but goes one step further putting their "money where their mouth is" by providing financial incentives for existing development to directly participate. This proactive approach will not only aid in dealing with the issue of stormwater management, but do so at a dramatically increased pace.

Besides the obvious stormwater management benefits this program provides to participating individuals, this program also provides an opportunity for these same participants to beautify the neighbourhood which they reside in. A very real possibility, due to the beautification, is increased home values.

I encourage other Cities, on both sides of the boarder, to consider similar type programs and incentives. We at SCC welcome any City or individual who would like to discuss how our pervious concrete products work and how they can assist with the issues discussed above.

Link below is to the RainWise Article in MyBallard - Daily news for Seattle's Ballard neighborhood

http://www.myballard.com/2010/01/15/city-will-reimburse-ballardites-for-new-raingardens/

Link below is to the Rainwise program

http://www.seattle.gov/util/About_SPU/Drainage_&_Sewer_System/GreenStormwaterInfrastructure/ResidentialRainwiseProgram/index.htm