Sustainable Hardscapes

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Sustainable Hardscapes

• Emily Coll
• Horticulture Agent
• CSU Extension
• Douglas County

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Hardscapes and Sustainability

• Reduce reliance on petroleum based products
• Increase longevity of design and products used
• Increase water
• infiltration

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Evaluate Hardscape

• Incorporate the principles of "reduce, reuse,
  recycle?
• Product's impact on the environment once
  installed?
• Material's maintenance requirements?
• Difficult to measure
• Initial cost versus long term cost?

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Hardscapes and Sustainability

• Hauling rock?
• Moving rock?
• Why rock?
• Wood mulch, hazelnut shells, bedding mixed with
  crushed brick, plastic lumber and plastic parking
  blocks, BE CREATIVE
• What kind of rock?

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Types of Rock

• Local rock
• On-site rock
• Brick
• Recycled concrete/asphalt
• Faux rock
• Soil cement
• Permeable Pavers

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Permeable Pavers

• Keep the water on clients property
• Reduces stormwater runoff
• Reduces irrigation bill
• Decreases project costs
• reducing or eliminating drainage and retention
  systems
• reduces cost of compliance with many stormwater
  regulatory requirements.

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Permeable Pavements

• UNI ECO-STONE
• True, interlocking
• Concrete paver
• Not ADA compliant

Thickness  3 1/8 inches (80mm)Length 
Approximately 9 inches (230mm)Width  4 1/2
inches (115mm)  Approximately 3.5 pavers per
square foot
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Permeable Pavers

• Aqua-Bric
• 12-18 of aggregate beneath
• 60 gal/ min infiltration
• Voids between pavers
• ADA compliant

Size 5 x 10 x 3 1/8 Cube Size 75.2 sq. ft.
Cube Weight 2,632 lbs.
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Where to Buy?

• Local rock dealers
• http//www.amazingrecycled.com/
• http//www.uni-groupusa.org/uni-eco-.htm
• http//www.borgertproducts.com
• http//www.renewablefiber.com/rock_products.htm
• http//www.rubblerocks.com
• Siloam Stone, Inc.

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Other Types of Sustainable Design

• French drain
• Bio-swale
• Dry stream bed local rock
• Use the hardscape to mimic natural topography
• Living fences/walls

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Increase Your Marketability

• LEED Accreditation US Green Building Council,
  http//www.usgbc.org/DisplayPage.aspx?CMSPageID22
  2
• 1. Sustainable site development
• 2. Water savings
• 3. Energy efficiency
• 4. Materials selection
• 5. Indoor environmental quality
• Sustainable Sites USBG 2009 to 2012
• http//www.sustainablesites.org/partners.html
• Front Range Sustainable Landscapes Coalition