Contemporary spatial design increasingly takes into account not only aesthetics and durability, but also rainwater management. This is precisely why there is growing interest in finishing materials which – in addition to their primary function – support the natural drainage of water into the ground. An example of such solutions are the products from the Retencja+ range, which enable the creation of permeable surfaces that comply with current design standards.
When planning the landscaping around your home, it is worth thinking about solutions from the ground up – literally. Greenery in the form of trees and shrubs is one thing, but suitable surfaces can also be used in areas designated for driveways, car parks or internal roads. Polbruk’s openwork slabs Meba, Polbruk Tech Retencja+ or pavers Polbruk Eqol, thanks to their special shapes, leave open spaces when laid, which can be filled with grit, fine gravel or sown with grass.
Surfaces designed in this way allow water to permeate freely into the ground. The open spaces allow water to soak in naturally, which reduces surface water run-off and improves the site’s water balance. Importantly, the openwork slabs and pavers – despite their permeability – retain their full functional utility.
Elements with a thickness of 8 cm, and in the case of slabs Polbruk Meba also 10 and 12 cm, can be safely used on driveways, car parks, and on internal estate roads. The durable construction ensures a stable and safe surface even for large and heavy vehicles, without the risk of surface deformation.
The issue of rainwater drainage has been subject to legal regulations for years. Businesses are required to pay charges for discharging water into rivers, lakes or the ground, and increasingly, similar mechanisms also apply to private property owners. Many local authorities are introducing charges for rainwater and meltwater drained from permanently paved surfaces into stormwater drainage systems.
Such measures are already in place in cities such as Koszalin, Poznań and Bielsko-Biała, and apply not only to industrial areas but also to private properties. One way to reduce these additional costs is to use permeable paving. Openwork pavers – unlike impermeable solid concrete surfaces – do not form a closed surface, allowing for the natural management of rainwater on the plot.
The spaces between the elements or openwork patterns, as in the case of the slabs Polbruk Extrano, allow rainwater and melting snow to seep freely into the ground. Excess water goes directly into the ground, without forming puddles or overloading the municipal drainage system. As a result, the owner gains a durable, stable surface that simultaneously supports water retention on the property.
Solutions of this type are now becoming the standard in modern spatial planning. It is a functional trend that – literally and figuratively – can be implemented and nurtured in one’s own backyard.
