Cover image: Ouest-France, 2021
To meet the challenges of global warming, the Ecole supérieure d’ingénieurs des travaux de la construction de Caen (ESITC) has launched a project to recycle rainwater in ecological paving stones to restore it to its original state and avoid the summer heat in urban areas.
Global warming’s main effect is climate disruption and therefore, temperature. As a result, France finds itself with heavy rain during some seasons and high temperatures during the summer. The “eco-pavement” tries to overcome this global situation by storing rainwater and refreshing its own surface. Initially, the stones were intended to improve rainwater evacuation and prevent the risk of flooding by storing water. It turned out they could also be used to reduce the impact of intense heat in the summer thanks to their water-retention properties.
The “eco-pavement” patent was registered by the institute in 2015. The stones are considered ecological because they are made of crushed shells.
Studies were conducted in Caen and Alençon (French cities). To test them, paving stones have been placed in streets and car parks. Sensors have also been installed to measure the water collected and the temperature differences at their surface. In the end, the “eco-pavement” decreases the temperature by approximately 10 degrees.
Sources:
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GOUJA Yousra (March 25, 2022), Caen : Des éco-pavés drainants à base de coquillages pour lutter contre les îlots de chaleur urbaine. En ligne https://www.in-interiors.fr/lieux/caen-des-eco-paves-drainants-a-base-de-coquillages-pour-lutter-contre-les-ilots-de-chaleur-urbaine/.
- DUBOST Léa (April 12, 2021), Créer des îlots de fraîcheur grâce à des “éco-pavés” : une expérimentation menée à Caen et Alençon. Online https://www.francebleu.fr/infos/environnement/creer-des-ilots-de-fraicheur-grace-a-des-eco-paves-une-experimentation-menee-a-caen-et-alencon-1617985205.
Translated by Theo Tran
