A nearly 150,000-sq.-ft. permeable paver installation at the Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. satellite operation in Mills River, N.C., took Concrete Paver–Permeable–Commercial honors in the 2014 Hardscape North America Project Awards, sponsored by the Interlocking Concrete Pavement Institute, National Concrete Masonry Association and Brick Industry Association.
Installer Rivertop Contracting, Inc. of Swannanoa, N.C., was recognized along with 14 peers, producers and other stakeholders in commercial, residential, concrete, clay and paver or segmental retaining wall categories. Winning and honorable mention projects were announced in October during the 2014 Hardscape NA gathering in Louisville.
Rivertop staff notes that massive permeable paver parking area is consistent with the owner’s “green” goals, perhaps best demonstrated in the facility’s prominent solar arrays. Various Belgard paver shapes were used to mirror the designer’s specifications, and the untumbled texture was complemented by a 90-deg. Herringbone pattern. Primary challenges over a 2013-14 schedule included logistics and weather, the first year seeing 85 inches of rain—double the average annual volume for the Smoky Mountains region. The contractor approached challenges with regular, clear, and concise communication among employees, subcontractors, and vendors for the most efficient use of time and space. At peak periods, the crew numbered 55.
