Permeable Parking Lot Installation in Norfolk, VA

 ACF had a government client who was interested in adding additional parking lot square footage to their facility, but required a permeable surface to meet stormwater requirements and desired a relatively low maintenance product. The new parking area would be approximately 16,500 sf and needed to be durable enough to handle daily vehicular traffic and parking while also meeting their stormwater storage and nutrient removal goals. 

After carefully considering multiple solutions with the client, PowerBlock permeable pavers were chosen for the job. These durable pavers interlock and use open joints which require minimal maintenance compared to traditional paver joints that must be filled in with stone after every installation and every time they are vacuumed. ACF worked with a local GC and Landsaver Environmental (a specialty installation contractor experienced in permeable pavement installations) on the installation. The preparation for the install was relatively straightforward with 19″ being dug out before a monofilament geotextile was placed within the hole and topped with 14.5″ of stone (leaving 4.5″ for the blocks). Once the stone was leveled and fine graded, the blocks were hand placed on the stone with the edges cut to size. To lock in the blocks and finalize the installation, the lot was compacted using plywood over the pavers to ensure no damage was done to the stone.

The end result was an aesthetically pleasing parking lot that is capable of handling rain events without ponding in the lot. The client is pleased with the end result and appreciated how durable and thick each of the blocks were as well as the 0.48 cf/sf the system provided them in stormwater storage!