UK Company Tarmac unveils glow-in-the-dark pavements

A glow-in-the-dark paving system that absorbs ultraviolet rays during the day and radiates a soft luminescent light at night has been used on a new commercial development in Derbyshire.
Developer Blue Deer Ltd has installed Tarmac’s decorative Toptint Glow mix on the main walkways and first-floor balconies around its new Glass Yard development in Chesterfield – a mix of shops and offices.
Toptint Glow – using Chryso’s Lumintech technology – is a decorative concrete that uses composite luminescent chippings with a matching coloured concrete mix. The chippings are available in green or blue – specifically “jade or marine” the brochure says. The resulting surface helps to illuminate the ground, at least when the surface is clean. Tarmac, part of the CRH group, is marketing it for footpaths, cycleways and pedestrian areas.
Tarmac product development manager Glanville Norman said: “New developments such as the Glass Yard or other existing high-profile sites often require something visually distinctive that will set them apart, and we’re always looking to develop new and exciting materials that can complement bold design.
“This is the first time that Toptint Glow has been used on a major commercial development and we were delighted to be able to propose a solution that not only has high aesthetic and environmental quality but also helped to improve safety and visibility.”