Finding newer and better ways to make long-lasting, efficient, aesthetically pleasing car parks is our bread and butter. For this reason, we’ve been keeping an eye on a few recent car park construction trends commercial business owners might be interested in.
If you’re as curious about asphalt car park construction trends as we are, you’re in the right place. Read on as we break down what makes a great commercial asphalt car park, as well as the top three trends you might want to consider if you’re looking for a new car park.
What Makes a Great Commercial Asphalt Car Park?
Asphalt car parks are more than the sum of their parts. In a commercial setting, a great car park makes life easier for anyone visiting the business, as well as the owners of the business themselves.
Aside from ensuring high-quality asphalt is used, there are a few qualities that give away whether a particular car park has been made well.
They’re Efficient
First things first, good car parks are efficient. By that, we mean that the layout has been carefully considered prior to laying down even a single slab of asphalt. This includes considering everything from how best to use the available space without compromising the flow of traffic to properly placing entrances and exits to provide safe egress for all vehicles.
Pedestrian management also factors into this, as anyone leaving their cars to enter the building will need a safe spot to walk.
They’re Durable
Top-notch asphalt car park construction will produce a lot that lasts for many years to come. Car parks endure very high traffic volumes and – depending on the business they serve – might even have to contend with regular heavy loads from commercial shipments or deliveries.
Some people are surprised to learn how important it is to consider drainage for commercial car parks. With as much rain as New Zealand receives, standing water can become a real problem. Too much standing water in a car park is a safety hazard to drivers, but it can also present a major issue when it comes to the longevity of the asphalt.
Well-designed car parks incorporate drainage systems that provide an exit for water during storms, reducing the risk of surface cracking or potholes.
They Look Good
Finally, a great commercial car park looks as good as the business it serves! You only get one chance to make a good first impression, and something as small as the quality of your car park can influence how a customer perceives your business.
The cleanliness and quality of the asphalt work is a big piece of this puzzle, but additions like rubberised sections, dedicated landscaping, and high-quality signage all contribute to how a commercial car park looks.
With these goals in mind, it’s clear that the concrete and asphalt industry is as dedicated to innovation as any other. So, let’s dive into some of the ways that our industry is making leaps and bounds to make these standards the norm.
Recent Trends in Asphalt Car Park Construction
Sustainable Design Features
One of the biggest innovations we’ve seen in recent years isn’t necessarily focused on the use of asphalt itself, but on the layout of the car park. Planning the right layout is a major part of asphalt car park construction, and rising awareness of sustainability issues has prompted business owners to think about ways they can accommodate green modes of transportation in their car parks.
For example, many modern asphalt car parks are being designed with features like electric vehicle charging stations, bicycle parking spots, and even reflective asphalt coatings to keep the urban heat island effect at bay.
Warm Mix Asphalt (WMA)
Sustainability is also affecting how some car parks are being made. Most car parks, from underground bunkers to off-street lots, are made using hot mix asphalt. This is generally chosen because it’s cost-effective and fairly quick, and it tends to be better for cold climates.
But hot mix asphalt requires a lot of energy to produce and pour, especially for large car parks that require a lot of mixing. To that end, some modern car parks are being made using warm mix asphalt as a way to reduce energy consumption and minimise greenhouse gas emissions.
Permeable Asphalt
Permeable asphalt is designed to reduce stormwater runoff flows. The idea is that the surface of the asphalt paving is permeable, so water can more easily filter through the cracks and gaps to make its way off or out of the car park.
Some innovative cities are even experimenting with how to use car parks as a way to filter groundwater to become more pure, although there have been some struggles with getting that to work properly in the past.
This is really useful in a country like Aotearoa, where we see anywhere between 600 and 1600mm of rainfall throughout the year (depending on the region). Without proper drainage, car parks would be dealing with a lot of standing water. Not only is this a safety hazard, but as we’ve mentioned, the water can prematurely degrade your car park.
In summary, there are new and exciting additions being made to the asphalt car park construction industry every day. If you’re a business owner considering putting in a new commercial car park, there are many opportunities to create something newer and better than what we’ve seen before. You just have to partner with the right people to get it done!
Talk to the experts in asphalt car park construction today.
Need a new car park? The team at Asphalt & Civil would love to help. Get in touch with us today to discuss this valuable addition to your commercial property.