Case study Severn Trent Water

Formpave has supplied Severn Trent Water with a sustainable urban drainage system for the car parking and pedestrian zones of its offices in Shrewsbury, Shropshire.

The 2,000m2 car park uses EcoGranite Aquasett. This sustainable paving system incorporates a permeable paver, EcoGranite, and the company’s patented Aquaflow water management system. The remaining 2,500m2 of pedestrian zones and hard landscaping areas uses EcoGranite Chartres.

EcoGranite has strong environmental credentials as it contains up to 77 per cent recycled content, contributing to the overall sustainability of the project.

In addition to discharge restrictions onsite, pollution control was also a key factor for Severn Trent, civil and structural engineers, Arup and landscape architects, Capita Symonds, when specifying the paving and SUDs solution. Aquaflow’s unrivalled ability to produce clean, pH neutral water for discharge, as well as attenuated water, met all the stringent project requirements.

Severn Trent’s Tony Wray said: “As one of the UK’s largest water suppliers we are dedicated to the provision of reliable, high quality drinking water.

“We are also committed to sustainability and safe, sustainable drainage and permeable paving systems such as Aquaflow are helping us achieve this. By implementing the Aquaflow system we can ensure that all water discharged from this office is pH neutral, helping us lead by example.”

The Aquaflow system also removes oils, hydrocarbons and heavy metals, making it a specified surfacing solution for car parking zones and vehicular areas. As part of Formpave’s research and development programme, research undertaken at Coventry University on microbial growth has shown that the system is capable of degrading at least 400g of oil per square metre each year.

John Lloyd, Formpave’s head of design, worked in partnership with Arup, Capita Symonds and main contractors BAM, to produce a SUDS system design.

“Being asked to save and clean water for a water company is the ultimate accolade,” said John.

“In designing and supplying our most ‘green’ paving solution we supported Severn Trent achieve its aim of an ‘excellent’ BREEAM rating for the building.”