1.

SUSTAINABLE SITE PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT

Impervious Surfaces

Increasing the imperviousness of a site can have a tremendous effect on the water
cycle. Impervious surfaces limit groundwater recharge, increase pollutant loads and
runoff and create a heat island effect.    Its important to limit the impervious areas on
site to the minimum. Doing this often improves the aesthetic of the site, reduces the
environmental impact and saves money.  Below are some things to consider in order
to reduce site imperviousness.

Minimize parking areas

 Zoning code minimum or less

 Incorporate compact car spaces when possible
 Reduce lane sizes
 Provide plantings in and around parking areas
 Implement Green Roofs

Implement pervious paving options

 Pervious pavement/asphalt
 Pervious concrete
 Permeable pavers
 Grasspave systems
2. MATERIAL

Hollow Bricks

Acting as a secondary layer of insulation, these pollution-absorbing bricks can

remove 30% of  fine particles and 100% of coarse particles, making air within
office spaces and public buildings healthier to breathe. This is particularly useful
as a way to improve air within buildings in areas with poor air quality.

Its composed of two key parts, concrete bricks and recycled plastic coupler, the
aligned bricks create a route from the outside into the brick’s hollow centre. The
surface of the bricks themselves helps to direct airflow, and a cavity removes
pollution.

The benefits is a cost-effective way to reduce air pollution, as it requires no

further maintenance once installed. It would be particularly helpful in developing
countries where air quality is poor and other solutions may be too expensive to
maintain.
3. INNOVATION

Closed Cavity Facades

Studies show that overall building energy consumption can be significantly

reduced by the use of double-skin and closed cavity facades—by as much as
20% in most climates—relative to the baseline of traditional single skin curtain
wall facade.

Closed cavity facades offer excellent thermal performance in the transparent

areas with U-values in the range of U-0.145 to U-0.15. Other benefits include a
high degree of solar protection by the automated blind system, reduced
maintenance costs, and top-notch acoustic performance, among other perks.