Industry Organization Spotlight: Interlocking Concrete Paver Institute
Since 1993, the Interlocking Concrete Pavement Institute (ICPI) has served as the leading trade organization of the segmental concrete paving industry in North America. ICPI’s 1,100 members come from across the United States and Canada. They work as paver manufacturers, installation contractors, designers and suppliers.
ICPI positions itself as the industry’s leading authority on best practices and technical expertise for paver installation and maintenance. The organization’s primary goals are to promote greater use of segmental pavers in residential, commercial and public settings, and to improve the skills and standards of those working in the industry.
Promoting Paver Use
ICPI focuses on improving industry-wide sales of interlocking pavers and related products. To that aim, the organization makes a big push in educating the public about the benefits and uses of pavers.
On its website, ICPI features numerous completed paver projects in residential and commercial settings. The rich photographs and detailed project descriptions help bring the possibilities of paver systems to life and allow designers and contractors to show off their expertise. Featured projects come from across the U.S. and overseas.
Homeowners who are considering pavers can see the variety of ways pavers can be used to beautify a home’s yard. The featured residential projects show both traditional and contemporary designs. The project narratives describe how designers and contractors addressed the challenges of the particular setting.
The featured commercial projects show the great range of settings where segmental pavers can be successfully used. Locations include a library, a shopping center, an airport, a school, a church, a ballpark and a university. The range of colors and designs demonstrate how segmental pavers can create iconic public spaces.
ICPI also hosts an annual trade show, Hardscape North America, which is the largest such event in the industry. There, contractors, designers, and dealers can learn more about the latest developments in segmental paver technology and installation techniques.
Education and Best Practices in the Paving Industry
ICPI meets its education objectives in part through the Hardscape Institute. The online education platform offers a wide range of courses and webinars to industry professionals, including installers, designers and sales representatives. The courses are designed to help those in the industry further their professional goals while learning about industry standards. To help members maintain their professional standards, ICPI also has an extensive online resource library. There, members can locate specification guidelines and other technical papers related to interlocking paver installation. Through the Resource Library, ICPI also sells its own design software, Permeable Design Pro, which helps professionals plan optimal layouts for permeable paver projects.
Professionals can even earn ICPI certification through the Hardscape Institute. To earn recognition as an ICPI Certified Concrete Paver Installer, individuals must attend a course, pass an exam and submit documentation of five past installation projects. From there, professionals can earn further certifications in specialized areas such as sales, commercial installation and permeable paver installation.
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