All the benefits of SUDS with a traditional edge

The new shape Aquata paver has been unveiled by Wienerberger. This traditionally styled paver forms part of the sustainable urban drainage system (SUDS), which gives extra credit under the Code for Sustainable Homes and has a demonstrable impact on effective dissipation of surface water.

Aquata is a uniquely shaped clay block which provides the wearing course over the system’s permeable bedding aggregate, through which surface-run off can drain into the natural rainwater systems. Wienerberger has revamped the external edge of the block so it resembles the traditional paver shape, by lowering the position of the specially engineered interlocking nibs so they are no longer visible from the surface once the jointing material is laid.

The new Aquata will provide customers with a more traditional aesthetic which offers all the benefits of a SUDS system. The Aquata range also features a new colour, multi-brindle, giving customers more choice than ever when it comes to designing their external spaces.

Mark Morris, sales and marketing director for Wienerberger, said the paver demonstrates how design and sustainability can work together. He said: “The lack of natural drainage in urban areas, due to hard landscaping and the loss of green space, has contributed to the increased incidence of flooding over recent years. More than two million properties in the UK are located in flood risk areas with up to five million people potentially affected. The devastating impact of flooding has meant government agencies and local authorities are demanding higher standards from developers who in turn are turning to manufacturers for solutions.

“Sustainable urban drainage systems are a fantastic method of ensuring surface run off can be dissipated effectively without any adverse impact on the natural environment. In the past there has always been a compromise for designers in terms of the aesthetic of the paver but now, with this new shape block, they can achieve clean lines and traditional styling while also doing right by the environment.”

Wienerberger, the world’s biggest brick manufacturer and a market leader in clay pavers, is committed to sustainable solutions across its portfolio of products and in its manufacturing techniques. A series of eco-alternatives were on display at Ecobuild including a cross section of the Aquata SUDS which demonstrated how water is filtered, cleaned and stored within the voids in the component layers before being discharged through the subgrade into the drainage system.

The use of SUDS is encouraged by local authorities in their planning guidance PPS25. In addition, incorporating SUDS in new developments ensures compliance with the water management element of the Code for Sustainable Homes and Part H of the Building Regulations. The Wienerberger SUDS can also be linked to grey water recycling systems in order to make new home developments even more sustainable.

Email: dgarritty@bellpottingernorth.co.uk