(As a Growing Medium and Erosion Reduction Structural Soil for Emergency Access Areas, Overflow Parking, and Green Space Requirements)

Have you ever wondered what alternatives exist to using traditional concrete and asphalt for overflow parking areas or temporary access spaces? Many landowners and developers want to create a natural setting or “green space” that provides a stable, all-weather platform for vehicles in times of excess need or for emergency access. A natural setting offers tremendous aesthetic value and avoids the inherent problems of storm water run off and heat island effects. Expanded shale in a structural soil mix is the answer. It can be effectively used as a pedestrian or vehicular mix to serve as both an excellent growing medium for trees, grasses and landscape vegetation, as well as an erosion inhibitor for pedestrian and vehicular traffic.

View the images below to see how expanded shale works as a structural soil. Read about the recent Bella Mar project for a great example of how expanded shale was installed to create an overflow parking area at an amenity center near Austin, Texas.

Does anyone know if expanded shale as a structural soil would qualify as a LEED credit for pervious cover?

I welcome questions or comments about this product application.

Jack Sinclair

 
Structural soil in place since August of 2000 successfully providing emergency access across a golf course fairway. Click thumbnail for larger image.

Structural soil as a fire lane since August 2003 at St. Edwards University, Austin, Texas. Click thumbnail for larger image.

Bio: Jack Sinclair has worked as a sales consultant on TXI Pave Grow® projects for the past 13 years and as a lightweight aggregate salesman with TXI for 17 years.  He has worked for TXI in other construction-related positions for 38 years, including Ready Mix Sales, Precast and Ready Mix Quality Control, and Ready Mix Logistics.