Minimum Permeable Soil Area in a Sustainable Allotment

Abstract

Current scientific literature reinforces the observation that there has been an increase in frequent occurrences of floods in urban areas and emphasizes that the main reason for the increase of flooding is the reaction of the environment to the effects of anthropic action. Considering this scenario of flooding caused by man, this study aims to present a review of the literature on the influence of soil sealing, define sustainable allotment (SA) in line with the local behavior of the hydrological cycle, and propose the establishment of a technical requirement on the part of Brazilian municipalities of a minimum permeable area soil that should be left in each plot (plot territorial) of allotments that fits the sustainable concept. The research method was based on the observation of the behavior of some Brazilian cities [Antonio Carlos (SC), Biguaçu (SC), Criciúma (SC), Curitiba (PR), Ribeirão Preto (SP), São José (SC), and São José dos Campos (SP)] as well as other countries [Lisbon and Sintra (Portugal), Kitchener, Quebec, and Vancouver (Canada), and Liverpool (England)], especially in the areas of the infiltration minimum required to obtain a building permit. Research was also conducted to verify the respective regulations of maximum rates of land occupation and the minimum size defined for each lot, to avoid and/or minimize the occurrences of urban flooding. After a survey of normative data, six distinct simulations (minimum areas and average urban residential lots), were taken to verify the impact of the requirement of minimum area considered permeable. Finally, it is clear that for implementing a sustainable allotment, it is necessary to leave at least 25% of the area of permeable soil batch, resulting in a reduction of up to twice the volume of rainwater when compared with land in urban areas where the requirement does not apply.