Traditional cement and asphalt pavements cannot retain rainwater, but this will be completely changed with the use of some eco-permeable materials.”Porous concrete, during rainy days, allows rainwater to seep through the pavement cracks and infiltrate into the underlying strata, where it can be stored for a period.“Summer temperatures rise, and standing on it, one can distinctly feel the difference in humidity and temperature compared to other surfaces—this is the sponge effect.”。

Porous concrete paving, as a new type of urban paving, allows rainwater to infiltrate underground through the paving structure by utilizing large-pored structural layers or drainage permeation facilities, thereby controlling surface runoff and promoting rainwater utilization.

A sponge city refers to an urban development approach that, through enhanced urban planning and construction management, fully utilizes the functions of buildings, roads, green spaces, and water systems in the ecosystem to absorb, infiltrate, and slowly release rainwater, effectively controlling stormwater runoff, and achieving natural storage, infiltration, and purification of urban development.

By implementing measures such as rooftop greening and rainwater collection systems, cities can act like "sponges," absorbing and releasing rainwater, flexibly adapting to environmental changes, and responding to natural disasters, achieving "no waterlogging during light rain, no flooding during heavy rain, no black or臭y water bodies, and a relief from heat islands."