Duke Installing Eco-Friendly Pavement Material in Bryan Lot
Effort came out of Duke capstone course
KBI Flexi-Pave, an eco-friendly porous pavement solution, will be installed today in Duke's Bryan Center Parking lot in the two spaces where Duke's Zipcars are located. The installation of KBI Flexi-Pave and the eco-friendly Zipcars showcase Duke's ongoing commitment to sustainability.
"Sustainability is part of how we do business today, and we are committed to seeking new ways to protect our campus, our neighbors and our environment for years to come," said Tavey M. Capps, Duke's environmental sustainability director.
One of Duke's strengths with regard to sustainability has been the commitment and involvement of students on campus. This year's Last Day of Classes Celebration (LDOC), will take place on Earth Day, and will be entirely green, an example of how Duke gets students involved with sustainability efforts.
The paving project comes out of a Duke Markets and Management Capstone course in which 12 Duke students consulted with Clearwater, Fla.,-based KB Industries (KBI). KBI Flexi-Pave manages stormwater runoff, and its largest ingredient (by volume) is recycled tires. The students and their professor, Sam Veraldi, helped to set up the installation on campus.
By using recycled tires, the material helps reduse the disposal of tires in global landfills and incinerators while improving the management of storewater runoff, one of the major issues facing urban areas today.
Eliminating stormwater runoff is important to reduce flooding, prevent erosion, protect our environment and control water quality.