Announcement: We will have a demonstration and install at the Cassar Sanctuary in mid-August.
These two technologies, part of our Science of Sustainable Integration, offer a unique added benefit to our Plarr House. The Bio-Soil Foundation and roads with a Cool Pavement® coating provide an affordable green system that is about half the cost and in harmony with the land.
Cool Pavement™
- Solar Reflective treatment from Emerald Cities™
“Changing surface colors in 100 of the world’s largest cities could save the equivalent of 44 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide — about as much as global carbon emissions are e xpected to rise by over the next decade.”
- US Secretary of Energy, Steven Chu
Emerald Cities™ introduces Solar Reflective Cool Pavement or coating asphalt and cement surfaces that can surface heat u30-50 degrees in the summer and reduce smog. It protects asphalt from thermal heat and UV radiation helping to reduce urban heat island. Emerald Cities™ is collaborating with Lawrence Berkeley National Labs bringing “Cool Pavement” to market with this state-of-the-art nano-engineered high performance thin concrete for application on parking lots, cross walks, school yards and decorative public surfaces. It saves LED lighting energy, earns LEED and Carbon Offset Credits, and can lift the city spirit with an array of beautiful colors.
With the new Cool Pavement® the asphalt is turning green. Below is a parking lot in Phoenix that was recently treated. The city of Phoenix contracted the Arizona-based company Emerald Cities Cool Pavement to cover a 90,000 sq. ft. temporary parking lot with the greenish, paint-like substance called nano-concrete. The goal is to avoid the “heat island” effect in the downtown area which happens when asphalt stores heat emanating from the sun and amplifies the temperature in the vicinity.
Temperatures in Phoenix can reach upwards of 120 degrees, and the asphalt can get as hot as 170 degrees. Reducing the ground temperature with this cool pavement coating will not only make life easier on pedestrians and bike riders in the downtown area, but will help extend the life of the asphalt, reduce carbon dioxide emissions and improve air quality.
The Solar Reflective Cool Pavement for coating asphalt and cement surfaces can reduce surface heat 30-50 degrees in the summer and reduce smog. It protects asphalt from thermal heat and UV radiation helping to reduce urban heat island. Emerald Cities™ is collaborating with Lawrence Berkeley National Labs bringing “Cool Pavement” to market with this state-of-the-art nano-engineered high performance thin concrete for application on parking lots, cross walks, school yards and decorative public surfaces. It saves LED lighting energy, earns LEED and Carbon Offset Credits, and can lift the city spirit with an array of beautiful colors.
Better Environment
Increasing the solar reflectance of pavement reduces solar heat gain, lowers their temperatures and helps to reduce smog. Lawrence Berkeley Labs has calculated that increasing the solar reflectance of 100 m2 (1000 ft2) by .4 can offset 10 tonnes of CO2 emission. Emitted CO2 is currently traded in Europe at about $25/tonne, making this 10-tonne offset worth $250. It is fairly easy for owners of buildings to select white roofing however black asphalt roads comprise 50% of the f thermal heat of all city surfaces. The estimated U.S. potential energy savings for cooling inner city roads in excess of $1 billion per year. Cool roofs also reduce the summertime urban temperatures leading to an improved urban air quality. Over 50% of the world population now lives in urban areas, and by 2040 that fraction is expected to reach 70%. For urban dwellers worldwide savings would be many billion dollars/year. Emerald Cities Solar Reflective Cool Pavement was developed in collaboration with LBL, thesting results of which meet and exceed the required .4 to offset emmissions.
LBL (Akbari et al). estimates that permanently retrofitting urban roofs and pavements in temperate regions of the world with solar-reflective roofs and roads would offset 44 billion tonnes of emitted CO2 . This is equal to 11 billion car-years of emission, or the same as taking 600 million3 cars off the road for 18 years. LBL and NASA have proposed an international “100 Cities” campaign to use solar reflective materials for pavements. Emerald Cities Solar Reflective Cool Pavement is a featured product in governor Swatzeneggr’s “Cool Communities” study and being demonstrated at the University of California, Davis in July 2010.
Cost Benefits
Compared with cost of labor and equipment involved in asphalt re-surfacing or replacement methods, and, combined with the rising cost of oil products, EC Cool Pavement is more cost effective than traditional asphalt resurfacing for the following reasons:
No Asphalt Milling or Pavement Removal Required
Old asphalt does not need to be removed in order to utilize this green pavement product. It is not necessary to sand blast or mill the asphalt prior to resurfacing. Alligator cracks need only to be patched with EC Patch Mix, and the surface needs to be thoroughly power washed.
Reduced Equipment Costs
EC Cool Pavement requires a minimum of specialized equipment, and does not utilize heavy dirty road equipment that pollutes the environment while greening the road. The basic Equipment costs to do 500 sq. feet or 50,000 sq. feet is under $2000. This also calculates in to energy savings and avoided C02 emissions that would be expelled from fuel consumed by road work equipment.
Reduced Labor Costs
EC Cool Pavement requires only a fraction of the labor costs, and does not require skilled laborers to apply. Emerald Cool Pavement Solar Reflective Solution is sold in pre-measured liquid and dry units which require only 4 laborers to apply the following square footage:
1000 sq. ft: 1 hour One (1) 10 gallon pail; 2 bags dry mix
10,000 sq. ft: 8 hours One (1) 55 gallon drum; 11 bags dry mix
Air Curing Time
This product dries within 2 hours and can be opened to traffic in 4 hours, which is a considerable savings as compared to concrete or asphalts.
Cost of Delaminating Asphalt
EC Cool Pavement both preserves and protects fresh asphalt. It help protect the surface by cooling the effects of thermal radiation, and protects the surface from the damaging UV rays. EC Cool also creates a strong surface which is impervious to further delamination from heavy rain.
Long Term Durability
Because EC Pavement is a high compression impervious cementious coating, it provides a solid resurfacing material that outlasts traditional seal coating materials.
The Soil Bio-Stabilizer is a non-toxic alternative to pavement and concrete at about half the cost. A soil sample is taken to make a special mixture to structure the soil into a solid hard mass that is also friendly to the environment.
The Cool Pavement® reflective coating will save energy, extend the lifetime of roads or parking lots, reduce carbon dioxide emissions, improve air quality, and reduce the ground heat by as much as 30 Degrees. Plus with our cost segregation team and energy rebates the ROI on this can be less that a year. Savings and lower maintenance every year there after.
We can now offer a less costly alternative to develop infrastructure for green housing developments or existing buildings.
Soil Bio-Stabilizer-
