Kingfisher Day Nursery Pupils Benefit From Outdoor Covered Area from Inside2Outside

Kingfisher Day Nursery, Croydon has felt the benefits of having an outdoor canopy from Inside2Outside. The canopy provides a safe, sheltered outdoor play area which can be used in all weathers, as well as providing shade for their garden area.

Kingfisher Day Nursery had installed one of Inside2Outside’s trademark Qube canopies. Inside2Outside have been designing, manufacturing and installing canopies, shelters and walkways for over 10 years; the Qube is designed specifically for schools and combines robustness with an aesthetically pleasing look. Hundreds of schools across the UK have benefited from the installation of a Qube canopy as an outdoor play area, an outdoor classroom and numerous other uses.

Originally Kingfisher Day Nursery were looking for a shaded area for their garden. Having been impressed with Inside2Outsde’s brochure they went on to order. Not only did they get the benefits of shade for their garden, but the canopy has provided them with further benefits. Mrs MacCartney of the nursery commented that when the weather is wet and the pupils are outside ‘those who would rather not get wet can observe their environment from a sheltered area’.

Outdoor classrooms offer a different environment for pupils to learn in, and the canopy has provided this option for the nursery. Mrs MacCartney commented that the creation of ‘an outdoor classroom’ has enabled them to expand the school curriculum. She concluded that it’s improved the nursery’s outdoor facilities by providing ‘space, and an extra room.’

Inside2Outside have recently introduced a fantastic new product – Tensile PV. Tensile PV combines Photovoltaics (Solar Power) with Tensile Membrane structures. With Tensile PV you are now able to get a canopy that not only provides the benefits of shade and shelter, but that also produces electricity that can be used to reduce energy bills and generate an income. Tensile PV can be retro-fitted onto existing structures, as well as used on new structures.

Sustainable Canopies - Utilise the Power of the Sun

Harnessing the power of the sun which the canopies prevent from getting through has always been a good idea. However, until recently it has been unrealistic due to the size and weight of the panels, as well as other factors.

However, with the development of thin film technology for Solar Panels, joning canopy structures with solar power is now happening. SKYShades UK Ltd. (www.skyshades.co.uk) are attaching Photovoltiacs (PV) to their canopies. This means that you are able to get a canopy which will pay for itself. It will also generate energy which can reduce energy bills.

So now, not only do you get the benefits of having a canopy - shade and shelter, but you generate an income, and produce renewable energy from the PV on your canopy. It is a simple combination which makes perfect sense.

Inside2Outside Ltd. are also combining PV with their canopies in schools - www.inside2outside.co.uk/p2o/index.asp

Safety Taken During Canopy Construction and Use

The safety standards for a canopy construction need to be stringent as the canopy is going to be used regularly when installed. So the first and most important guiding factor needs to be safety. Not only when the construction takes place that safety needs to be adhered to, but also for the entire guaranteed lifetime of the structure. The canopies need to offer total and safe protection for those using it from the elements and any physical dangers from the canopy itself.

The materials used in the construction need to be strong and conform to high safety standards. The materials for the supports need to be waterproof and rust proof, as well as padding being provided where needed. The roof of the structure also needs to be completely waterproof and have the ability to easily and efficiently drain the water from the rooftop. The roof also needs to provide protection from the harmful UV rays of the sun and resist higher winds without anything falling or flapping and injuring those near the canopy.

How will climate change affect school shade design and development?

There are a number of anomalies in the weather theses days with summers becoming much hotter in many regions in the country. Adequate protection from the sun becomes a crucial factor for outdoor shades. Children especially need to be protected from the harmful UV rays of the sun since they are the ones that spend a lot of time playing in the sun.

Schools and other facilities that cater to children and wish to create outdoor classrooms need to install school shades that will provide adequate outdoor protection from UV radiation. Inside2Outside school canopies are an ideal solution for dealing with hotter climates. The roof of these shelters is made from a tensile fabric that filters out a large percentage of the UV rays from the sun. At the same time, it allows light through so that the shelters are bright during daytime. Hotter summers are not a problem with Inside2Outside shelters.

Optional Extras for the Outdoor Room

While our canopies are great 'off the peg' we a;sp offer additional optional extras.

If you need curtain walls for the canopy, we can provide them with or without windows.

If security is an issue and you wish to keep the outdoor room secure, you can use our optional roller shutters.

If privacy is required, you can go in for our plexiglas sides which also provide added protection from the elements.

If the canopy is for a children's play area, we offersoft play surfacing for added safety.

You can also match the colour of the frames to that of the canopy by using powder coated frames with our colourded roofs.

We also offer leg pads for the supports that absorb accidental bumps. As well as this mesh half walls and mesh roller walls are additional options.

Choose our optional extras carefully to fully customise your outdoor area to meet your specific requirements.

How will climate change affect care sector canopy design and development? - 1. More/heavier rain and snow in winter

Climate change is forecast to affect the normal weather pattern in different areas. Some areas might recieve more rainfall or snow. An unusually heavy downpour car severely disrupot life in any region unless the area is equipped to deal with the contingency.

There needs to be a basic change in design in most of the outdoor constructions that are meant to withstand the onslaught of nature. More rain or snow can mean more weight on the roof. Any structure such as a care home canopy therefore needs to be designed with an extremely strong roof that can also drain the water or snow quickly from the roof tops.

Therefore, the desing of structures meant for the care sector also needs to be adapted in a way to ensure maximum safety for the residents. Especially if they are very old and incapacitated, the care needed for them increases several fold. Therefore care home canopies that conform to stringent safety standards such as those from Inside2Outside nneed to be specified for use in the care sector.

Covered Waiting Areas

Inside2Outside can easily construct a covered school waiting area for parents using our innovative school shelters. Normally there are a number of wasted areas around the periphery of a buildding that can be easily put to good use. Walkways between school buildings are a good example. Most often, buildings are seperated by a short stretch of path which is most often left uncovered. During the rainy season or when it is hot such paths become a challenge to cross, particularly if armed with teaching materials and ushering pupils between classes.

Inside2Outside have the perfect solution for this problem. Our covered walkways form a protective covering over the walkway, making easy passage between buildings possible. Moreover, these areas can also provide a second use as waiting areas for parents.

By connecting two or more buildings with covered walkways, you not only have the convinience of going from one building to the next without being exposed to the elements, but also have a waiting area for parents who often have bebies or toddlers with them who need to be protected from the elements.