Jump to main content.

Research Project Search
 Enter Search Term:
   
 NCER Advanced Search

Paving the Way to a “Greener” Campus: Alternative Paving Materials for Pollution Control and Aesthetic Appeal

EPA Grant Number: SU833563
Title: Paving the Way to a “Greener” Campus: Alternative Paving Materials for Pollution Control and Aesthetic Appeal
Investigators: Stearns, Anne M.
Current Investigators: Stearns, Anne M. , Ahrens, Luke , Berger, Amy C. , Boehler, Christopher , Drushel, Jonathon , Evans, Michelle , Krieger, Kenneth A. , Lamoreaux, Matthew , Puchta, Derek , Roerdink, Aaron R. , Ryan, James , Schwarz, Benjamin , Stark, Traci S. , Thomas, Kristi , Williams, Amanda , Wood, Katherine
Institution: Heidelberg College
EPA Project Officer: Nolt-Helms, Cynthia
Project Period: August 31, 2007 through May 31, 2008
Project Amount: $10,000
RFA: P3 Awards: A National Student Design Competition for Sustainability Focusing on People, Prosperity, and the Planet (2007)
Research Category: P3 Challenge Area - Built Environment , Pollution Prevention/Sustainable Development

Description:

Objective:

The purpose of the project will be to develop a cost-effective, sustainable design for parking areas sited on or near stream floodplains.

Approach:

A successful design should protect the environment by reducing runoff of contaminants that degrade the adjacent receiving stream, incorporate recycled materials in the design and meet human use needs. The project will include a review of existing designs and will require geological, biological and chemical analyses, as well as consultations with stakeholders for identification of human use needs and preferences. The research team will also assess potential designs for their ability to generate positive visual and emotional impressions of the parking and adjacent areas. We will test combinations of paving materials for infiltration and water storage, contaminant absorption and/or precipitation, and analyze leachate from these materials both for chemical composition and biological impact. Our project also will include a survey of stakeholder perceptions regarding the look and use of parking and stormwater mitigation facilities in an effort to explore whether a design that addresses the physical needs of human users can also aesthetically enhance the build site.

Expected Results:

The results of these investigations will be integrated into a future implementation of one or more designs during renovation of existing parking areas in a flood-prone region adjacent to a meandering stream.

Supplemental Keywords:

nonpoint source pollution, surface water, groundwater, metals, waste reduction, sustainable development, alternative materials, watersheds, green building, recycling,

Progress and Final Reports:
Final Report

Top of page

The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.

Local Navigation

Jump to main content.