Asphalt shingle waste is becoming a critical issue as landfills reach capacity and the occurrence of roof-damaging hailstorms increases. Currently, there are no cost-effective commercial solutions to transform this increasing waste stream into a high-value product. To address this technology gap, Sustainable Paving Stones (SPS) will commercialize an innovative technology that transforms recycled asphalt shingles and pavement (RASP) into paving stones. This novel material aims to displace incumbent concrete pavers that are associated with a higher carbon intensity.
Leveraging the applied research expertise of a first-of-kind polytechnic consortium comprised of the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT), the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT), and Red Deer Polytechnic, SPS will complete the design and build of a commercial production unit capable of producing 9,000 pavers per hour. This commercial unit will incorporate a biomass furnace to provide heat through the burning of wood waste, which will further reduce the GHG emissions of the production process.
To improve process efficiencies of the commercial unit, the polytechnic consortium will perform iterative simulation and modelling to assess and improve heating profiles and will investigate anti-stick surface technologies. Large-scale performance testing will be performed on the asphalt-based pavers using a laboratory structural testing rack and a weathering chamber, or through field deployment studies where the pavers will be integrated into walkways. A full lifecycle assessment of SPS’ commercial production system will be performed to assess lifetime GHG emissions, comparing them to those of concrete equivalents that dominate the market.
Through this unique applied research collaboration, SPS will establish a novel waste-to-value solution that will establish new and lucrative market opportunities for RASP through the creation of an advanced paving stone.