ISU installs a 'green' parking lot

TERRE HAUTE, Ind (WTHI) - There is a new parking lot on the Indiana State University campus that offers a more environmentally friendly approach to traditional construction.

The lot serving Bob Warn Field at Sycamore Stadium may look like regular pavement, but it is surfaced with permeable asphalt that is designed to allow water to pass through to an underlying stone bed. The soil beneath the parking lot then absorbs the water, which would otherwise run off after a rain.

"All of our construction projects whether they are buildings or other projects we are trying to use sustainable practices and this is a sustainable practice that we wanted to try on campus," Director of Capital Improvements Bryan Duncan said.

Permeable asphalt is best used in low traffic areas because it has a lower load-bearing capacity than conventional asphalt.

While the cost of surfacing a parking lot, street or driveway is comparable to conventional methods, use of permeable asphalt eliminates the need to build costly curbs and gutters or dry wells to hold water.