Silver Spring, MD - The National Ready Mixed Concrete Association and the Portland Cement Association have once again teamed with Sustainable Land Development International to offer the seminar Pervious Concrete - A Stormwater Solution in eight cities in 2008. The seminar has been offered in 19 cities over the last 18 months. The 2008 seminars are scheduled for:

• February 11 - Little Rock, AR
• February 18 - Charlotte, NC
• March 17 - Louisville, KY
• March 19 - Springfield, MO
• April 14 - Hartford, CT
• April 21 - Omaha, NE
• April 24 - Nashville, TN
• May 1 - Philadelphia

This program provides detailed instruction on how to implement pervious concrete pavements as a solution to reducing stormwater runoff from building sites and other paved areas. Attendees will learn the details of pervious concrete pavement systems, engineering properties and construction techniques. This course will help civil engineers, architects, landscape architects and public works officials develop details and write project specifications for pervious concrete pavement systems. Contractors, product suppliers and land developers will also benefit from this seminar.

Pervious concrete is a performance-engineered concrete with a 15-30% void system that allows rainwater to percolate through it. When pervious concrete is used for parking areas, streets, plazas and walkways, it minimizes stormwater runoff to surrounding streams and lakes, allowing for natural filtration to recharge local groundwater supplies.

Although pervious concrete has been used in some areas for decades, recent interest in green building and recognition of pervious pavements by the U.S. EPA as a best practice for stormwater management has heightened interest in its use throughout North America. Its use supports national initiatives such as Cool Communities and Low Impact Development and provides a potential for credit in the LEED® rating system for sustainable building construction. Pervious concrete reduces the need for expensive stormwater drainage and wet pond retention systems, thereby allowing for more economical and beneficial land use.

Two of the following qualified instructors will present the program:

• Bruce K. Ferguson Franklin Professor of Landscape Architecture, University of Georgia
• Heather J. Brown Director and Assistant Professor, Concrete Industry Management, Middle Tennessee State University
• Lionel Lemay Sr. Vice President, Technical Resources, National Ready Mixed Concrete Association
• Paul Tennis Cement and Concrete Materials Consultant
• Erin Ashley Director of Codes and Sustainability, National Ready Mixed Concrete Association

Architects and engineers earn six Professional Development Hours upon completion of this program. This seminar is registered with the American Institute of Architects Continuing Education Systems. The registration fee is $295. Registration can be completed online at www.ldbreakthroughs.com or by contacting Sustainable Land Development International toll-free at 1-888-388-8787.

The seminars are being offered in cooperation with Arkansas Ready Mixed Concrete Association, Carolinas Ready Mixed Concrete Association, Concrete Promotion Council of the Ozarks, Connecticut Concrete Promotion Council, Kentucky Ready Mixed Concrete Association, Nebraska Concrete and Aggregates Association, North Central Cement Council, Northeast Cement Shippers Association, Pennsylvania Aggregates and Concrete Association, South Central Cement Promotion Association, Southeast Cement Association and Tennessee Concrete Association.