Aquaflow bv has developed flowsand® to allow 50% of precipitation to infiltrate in residential areas at minimal cost.
Climate policy is often focused on heavy precipitation. Construction of water-storing roads, the Aquaflow system, is a logical solution for this. However, focusing on water nuisance proves insufficient. Many areas experience groundwater decline and drought. A major cause of this is the progressive “paving” of cities and villages. As a result, much rainwater flows off to sewerage and surface water, after which it is pumped away toward the “North Sea”. The consequence is water shortage in the soil. An effective solution is Flowsand.
Evaporating rainwater requires significant energy. It can therefore be used for cooling to eliminate heat stress in cities.
The top layer of the cooling street consists of paving that facilitates moisture evaporation on a street layer of Flowsand. This top layer retains approximately 20–25 liters/m2 of water. Excess water infiltrates into the underlying Aquaflow system (water-storing road foundation). Through evaporation, the street temperature is reduced by 10° – 12°C and the ‘heat island’ effect disappears. During the day the street remains cooler and after sunset the temperature drops quickly to ambient temperature.
