Porous pavements are those made with built-in void spaces that let water and air pass through. They are the most radical, most rapidly developing, and most controversial way of restoring large parts of the urban environment. They have been called "the holy grail of environmental site design" and "potentially the most important development in urban watersheds since the invention of the automobile".

Recently, an eight-year-long research project concluded with the publication of this technology's first comprehensive overview (Ferguson, 2005). This paper describes the making of the book Porous Pavements, and the current types and extent of applications of porous concrete and other porous paving materials in North America.

Further Reading:

Porous Pavements: The Overview