Commercial development, geotextiles

The use of green roofs on commercial developments continues to grow in both market size and individual physical size. A typical green roof has multiple layers of geosynthetics including several layers of geotextiles. 

Storm water management continues to be a major issue in site development. There is a trend away from large basins located on a remote part of the site and toward multiple smaller infiltration beds throughout a property. This trend in the market also demonstrates a need to increase the area used for infiltration in commercial developments. This will increase the need and volume of geotextiles used in commercial developments. There will most likely be an increased area for infiltration used under driveways, parking lots, and patios. This will require innovative geotextiles that promote faster infiltration and reduce the chance of clogging when used as a filter. 

Although geotextiles entered the commercial market much later than the civil con-stmction or environmental market, their commercial demand continues to grow based on the cost benefit realized by developers of these properties. Site development attaches a cost (usually by area) per home, so any additional materials are viewed as extra cost and an increase to development prices. However, geotextiles have been proven to provide excellent low-cost alternatives to traditional construction methods in all types of commercial development. These cost savings, coupled with the ease of installation for contractors, make the future of geotextiles in the commercial development industries a growth market for the foreseeable future. 

Furthermore, most commercial housing developments have large garden areas at their entrances and throughout the development. In these applications, geotextiles provide a separation function between the soil and mulch as well and prevent weeds from growing in mulch beds. 

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