Pedestrian walkways for intensive green roofs – Elastopave

Elastopave is a surface covering system in which selected and graded aggregates are mixed with a polyurethane (PU) resin-based binder and applied onto a properly prepared substrate, resulting in a seamless, strong, durable, and aesthetically pleasing surface.

This environmentally friendly solution ensures efficient rainwater drainage, preventing puddle formation and significantly reducing the risk of water accumulation from precipitation. The resulting surface is smooth and even, facilitating pedestrian movement and wheelchair accessibility. Compared to traditional concrete or asphalt (bitumen), it represents a superior alternative for sustainable urban development projects.

Main features and benefits

• Extremely high permeability: practically 100% (approx. 4,000 l water/m²/hour), allowing near-instant vertical drainage of rainwater. This prevents standing water, puddle formation, and icing, and eliminates the need for costly drainage channels, provided a stable drainage layer is installed beneath the Elastopave surface (we recommend high-compression, no-retention free channel drainage boards).
• Durability: creates a joint-free, monolithic surface that is stable and resistant to repeated freeze–thaw cycles.
• Design flexibility: customizable mineral aggregate combinations allow seamless aesthetic integration into urban spaces, gardens, and landscape architecture projects.
• Ease of application: can be installed using standard equipment and allows rapid return to service.
• Applications: in addition to intensive green roofs, it is ideal for bicycle paths, running tracks, pedestrian walkways, terraces, public squares, multifunctional areas, and decorative elements such as stone carpets or outdoor furniture surfaces.

They play an important role in blue-green infrastructure investments, as they allow rainwater to be retained where it falls instead of being immediately drained out of cities. This helps reduce the urban heat island effect while providing optimal growing conditions for street trees through periodically replenished groundwater from natural precipitation.

Installation – in brief

The installation process consists of mixing selected mineral aggregates with a polyurethane resin-based binder, after which the mixture is applied with a trowel onto a properly prepared substrate. The binder bonds the stones together, forming a porous structure with interconnected voids that allow free circulation of water and air. Once cured, the system remains permeable to both water and air, enabling natural drainage.

Technical data