In Spain’s Valencia region, an innovative type of permeable ceramic paving is being developed to help cities better manage heavy rainfall and reduce urban flooding risks. The solution was created in response to increasingly frequent extreme weather events linked to climate change.
The system redesigns traditional footpaths by placing ceramic tiles on their sides with gaps between them, allowing rainwater to infiltrate the ground instead of running off into drainage systems. Supported by layers of gravel, the structure enables water filtration while also improving water quality.
The concept was initially developed through an EU-supported project coordinated by the Institute of Ceramic Technology in Castellón and tested in the municipality of Benicàssim. A follow-up initiative, Drainker, has further refined and industrialised the solution, with an experimental site in Castellón demonstrating absorption rates of up to 10 000 litres per square metre per hour.
Supported with EU support from the European Regional Development Fund, alongside regional funding from the Valencian Government, the project also opens new economic opportunities for the local ceramic industry. The paving is now being prepared for wider use in urban spaces, with interest from municipalities and design professionals in Spain and beyond.
Could this ceramic paving be a game-changer in curbing urban floods? | Euronews