While the initial construction cost of concrete parking is slightly higher, compared to asphalt parking, the maintenance costs of the former, for commercial and industrial properties, are minimal, says consolidated industrial body Cement & Concrete SA CEO Bryan Perrie.

He adds that concrete parking surfaces require some joint sealing every ten years, depending on the sealant used, while cleaning is usually required annually.

In comparison, asphalt parking surfaces require regular maintenance and resurfacing at least every ten years, depending on the traffic it receives, which is often disruptive to the operations of office blocks or commercial shopping complexes.

The lighting of concrete parking areas can also be reduced – using much lighter-coloured concrete surfaces creates a higher reflectance of car light or overhead lights, thereby reducing the amount of lighting needed.

“The lighter concrete parking lots create safer storage for cars while reducing energy costs,” adds Perrie.

In outdoor car parks, the reflective nature of concrete results in the concrete not heating up. Therefore, the immediate environment remains cooler, resulting in the adjacent buildings requiring less cooling and, consequently, benefiting from lower cooling costs.

Amid the ongoing challenges of load-shedding and energy costs in South Africa, reduced lighting and cooling costs are significantly beneficial, as they result in less energy being required, he notes.
 
Concrete-surface parking areas – particularly those with brushed finishes – are more skid-resistant and allow for easy installation of “rumble strips”.

Further, concrete pavements are not prone to developing ruts or potholes when carrying heavy loads.

As concrete surfaces do not deteriorate as readily as asphalt pavements, they can serve as an attractive addition to a building and complement the architecture.

They can also complement the colour of a building because the surface is light in colour and can be textured or have an exposed, aggregate finish.  

Concrete offers an unlimited choice of texture, pattern and colour for aesthetic appeal; it can also be blended with adjacent greenbelts or equipped with water features, says Perrie.

“Parking areas are more than just driving surfaces for cars. They serve as attractive welcome mats for shopping centres, offices, sports stadia and airports, for example, and demonstrate quality to visitors – even before they walk through the front door.”
 
Concrete parking surfaces also offer a number of environmental advantages.

The runoff is low in toxicity and cooler, compared to those of asphalt surfaces, while permeable in situ and interlocking concrete pavements substantially reduce stormwater runoff, resulting in fewer attenuation ponds.

Concrete used for parking lots can include secondary materials, such as slag and fly ash, as well as recycled concrete, making it a more sustainable option.

“Cement & Concrete SA believes that concrete should be more strongly considered as an alternative to asphalt when it comes to road-building in South Africa,” Perrie concludes.