Urban pavings are fundamental for designing and planning outdoor spaces intended for public use, both as a matter of “features” of the solutions being used and the environmental impact that both can cause.
In many cases, in order to pave the surfaces of cities, natural stone is being used and the choice falls on materials coming from quarries, such as porphyry.
The scarce availability of this stone, connected with the issue of sustainability and the gradual running out of resources in our environment, raises questions about the urban design of the future.
Is there any alternative to using natural stone for urban pavings? The answer is yes, thanks to a new generation of reliable products with high performance, arising from the technical innovations in porcelain stoneware.
Urban pavings and the alternatives offered by the eco-friendly stones
Outdoor pavings boast a high resistance to humidity and wear, and therefore are highly suitable for complex use. Their colour, ranging from a light grey to a medium-toned brown, fit in various landscapes, from the modern/contemporary ones up to important historical sites.
That said, natural stone urban pavings have often been a choice determined by the lack of alternatives available on the market, which had the same quality of the finish, shades and technical features.
Throughout the years, the research and development on inert materials intended for the construction industry, notably the ceramic, has fostered the establishment of solutions with high technology, great durability and versatility within the street furniture field.
This has led to the new eco-friendly stones which are no longer made of a mixture of concrete, sand, perlite and water, but rather of highly-enhanced porcelain stoneware components able to withstand stresses, which were unconceivable so far for any ceramic surface.
What is the benefit of these products compared to traditional natural stone outdoor pavings?
Besides ensuring ease of use, they fully comply with the needs of wellness and environmental sustainability because:
- prevent natural stones, almost exhausted in the extraction sites, from being used.
- they harmoniously fit the urban aesthetics also thanks to the “green” laying techniques, which prevent highly polluting chemical compounds from being used.
- they reduce the job execution period of construction sites, fostering a faster and more efficient procurement. These surfaces are ready to use and can be available in various sizes and textures.
The stone-like cobblestone made of porcelain stoneware intended for urban pavings
What if there was the chance to use a material that encourages the circular economy, recovering up to 30% of waste coming from industrial processes?
This solution already exists and its name is Grestone® Urban pavings: the new porcelain stoneware intended for urban pavings, boasts 3 patents, with high technical and endurance performances.
Grestone® Urban pavings is available in a wide range of sizes and colours including the red stone-like cobblestone, identical in appearance to its ancestor but stronger, more efficient, affordable and eco-friendly.
Grestone® Urban Pavings is resistant to loads and stresses affecting urban areas and, at the same time, it offers absolute aesthetic freedom thanks to a huge selection of styles and, moreover, a wide range of special parts and connecting elements which ensure the utmost completeness of projects.
