International Conference to Help Municipalities Design Pavements for Environmental and Social Sustainability.

WASHINGTON -- Expert speakers and panelists from 17 countries will address "Design for Environmental and Social Sustainability" at the Eighth International Conference on Concrete Block Paving - "Sustainable Paving for Our Future," November 6-8, 2006, at the Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco. The event, hosted by the Interlocking Concrete Pavement Institute (ICPI) Foundation for Education & Research, will focus on segmental concrete pavements and their ability to address total environmental design, including ecological, energy, safety, and visual design needs for the 21st century. The conference will emphasize sustainable pavement applications, low-impact development approaches, stormwater management with permeable interlocking pavements and Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED).

"Design for Environmental and Social Sustainability" will feature presentations on sustainable aspects of segmental concrete pavement, concrete paving blocks in the renewal of commercial streets, the preferential use of concrete block paving in residential streets, sustainable weed management on concrete block pavement and environmental friendly concrete pavement blocks.

The three-day technical program will feature also presentations on permeable interlocking concrete pavement, manufacturing, construction, performance of recycled materials, education and training, pavement management and performance, structural design, testing and verification, innovative paver designs and paver life-cycle performance.

In addition to the technical paper sessions, the conference will include a one-day seminar for design professionals and a one-day workshop for civil engineering university professors.

The conference is co-sponsored by the Transportation & Development Institute (T&DI) of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) and the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA). Platinum sponsors include ACM Chemistries, Inc., Basalite, Besser Company, Cambridge Pavers, Inc., Columbia Machine, Inc., CTI, Inc., Hess Machinery Ltd., Oldcastle Architectural, Inc., Pathfinder Systems/Tiger USA, Pavers by Ideal, Pavestone Company, Rekers, Inc., St. Marys Cement, Inc., Techni-Seal, Inc., Unilock Ltd., Uni-Group and Zenith Equipment, Inc.

For further information on the conference visit www.icpiconferences.org.

ICPI is a trade association whose mission is to increase the use of segmental concrete pavement systems in North America. Applications for concrete pavers include driveways, patios, walkways, roofs, airports, streets, ports, and stadiums. ICPI members include producers, contractors, design professionals and consultants. ICPI promotes the highest product standards through ICPI product certification and installation standards through ICPI contractor certification. ICPI publishes the Interlocking Concrete Pavement Magazine, with marketing and technical resources for design professionals, contractors and homeowners.

The ICPI Foundation for Education and Research supports, develops and conducts educational programs, seminars, courses and research, and disseminates information relating to interlocking concrete pavement. These publications and programs are intended to improve knowledge, understanding and professional abilities of those working with interlocking concrete pavement and related products.