Al fresco canopies combine the proven benefits of a tensile membrane roof with the aesthatic appeal of a timber frame.
Our Al fresco canopies are designed ot last, as well as to suit any setting - you can create dining and learning areas or use in any weather, completely protected form the elements in an attractive yet functional setting.
The Al fresco canopies can comfortably seat groups around a table, and can also be adapted to accomodate lighting and under-seat storage.
Find out more information on www.inside2outside.co.uk
Friday, 29 October 2010
Friday, 15 October 2010
Sail Shades
We've refined the concept for Sail Shades using modern material and CAD techniques to provide a longlasting, static product which brings the Sailshade right up to date. We call our version the Kwikshade - distinctive structure designed to make an ordinary environment extraordinary, whilst providing protection from the harsh effects of the summer sun.
Each Kwikshade is individually designed - once the fixings are in place, exact measurements are taken and the Kwikshade is modelled using CAD techniques before being patterned to create a structure which is truly three-dimensional with minimal movement in the wind.
Kwikshades are a practical and cost-effective alternative to more traditional canopies. They are manufactured from structural grade mesh which is inherently fire retardant, and are designed for long-term outdoor use.
The mesh sails odder up to 90% UV blobk, meaning that they can have a shade factor of 97%. They also provide a high level of UVA and UVB protection.
Each Kwikshade is individually designed - once the fixings are in place, exact measurements are taken and the Kwikshade is modelled using CAD techniques before being patterned to create a structure which is truly three-dimensional with minimal movement in the wind.
Kwikshades are a practical and cost-effective alternative to more traditional canopies. They are manufactured from structural grade mesh which is inherently fire retardant, and are designed for long-term outdoor use.
The mesh sails odder up to 90% UV blobk, meaning that they can have a shade factor of 97%. They also provide a high level of UVA and UVB protection.
Thursday, 14 October 2010
Solar Shade
Inside2Outside, based near Cambridge are one of the market leaders in the UK tensile membrane industry. Having specialised in providing canopies for schools, Inside2Outside now produce Tensile Membrane Structures combined with Photovoltaics.
Renewable Energy is becoming increasingly popular in the UK. Awnings for houses and garden canopies are becoming more commonplace; businesses such as pubs and restaurants also offer outdoor dining where the tables are covered by shade products such as umbrellas to protect their clients from the elements. With the shade market growing, providing a niche product which provides more than just shade benefits to a customer makes sense. Solar Panels offer one way of doing just this.
Combining tensile membrane structures with Solar Power is a natural combination for a number of reasons. With tensile membranes unique properties of preventing the suns UV rays from passing through, being able to harness the power of the sun from this has been something that has been desired for many years. Until recently, however, it has not been a realistic prospect. Solar Panels have traditionally been large, heavy objects which are far too weighty to apply onto shade products. Now, with the emergence of flexible solar panels – such as thin film silicon panels and even Organic Photovoltaics, combining shade products with Solar Power is a reality.
Thin Film products are lightweight and flexible in nature. Thus they are able to be adhered to awnings, canopies and other shade products without causing adverse effects on the structure of the canopies. The panels can be attached in a number of different ways. Therefore, you are able to create a shade structure that not only provides shade, but also generates free, clean electricity for the owner of the structure. The electricity produced can be used by the owner for their own use, or can be fed back into the national grid to generate an income. Solar shade is now becoming an increasingly attractive package as it offers additional benefits to a standard tensile membrane shade structure.
How does producing renewable energy through a shade structure bring an income? The Government announced in April 2010 the start of the Feed-In-Tariff scheme (FITs). The FITs are a 25 year Government guaranteed income scheme in which the Government pay producers of renewable energy for every kilowatt hour of energy they produce. Due to this, shade structures combined with photovoltaics are an even more attractive prospect because of this.
Traditional Solar Panels and Thin film panels have been made using Silicon. Silicon has many properties that mean it can harness power from the sun. These panels are effective when the sun shines directly on them. However, when the sun is not shining directly on the panels their effectiveness drops rapidly. With the British climate as it is, solar panels have struggled to be effective in the UK. However, the third generation of Solar Panels – Organic Photovoltaics – threatens to finally bring effective solar power in the UK.
Organic photovoltaics are carbon based, and rely on daylight rather than direct sunlight to generate electricity. Due to this characteristic, OPV will finally deliver Solar Panels that will be effective in the UK. What’s more, they are extremely thin, lightweight and flexible making them ideally suited to being on the roof of a shade structure. The OPV is so flexible that it can be spread across the entire roof of a tensile membrane structure, following the curves of the roof.
Schools, Hospitals, Restaurants, Coffee Houses and Pubs are just a few places where the demand for solar shade is growing, and where the structures are ideally suited to. The commercial industry, warehouses and all application wanting a roof that harnesses the power of the sun can benefit from a solar shade structure. With continuing advancement in the technology for Solar Panels – making them thinner, lighter and more capable of generating effective solar power, even in temperate climates – the solar shade industry in the UK is set to expand rapidly.
Renewable Energy is becoming increasingly popular in the UK. Awnings for houses and garden canopies are becoming more commonplace; businesses such as pubs and restaurants also offer outdoor dining where the tables are covered by shade products such as umbrellas to protect their clients from the elements. With the shade market growing, providing a niche product which provides more than just shade benefits to a customer makes sense. Solar Panels offer one way of doing just this.
Combining tensile membrane structures with Solar Power is a natural combination for a number of reasons. With tensile membranes unique properties of preventing the suns UV rays from passing through, being able to harness the power of the sun from this has been something that has been desired for many years. Until recently, however, it has not been a realistic prospect. Solar Panels have traditionally been large, heavy objects which are far too weighty to apply onto shade products. Now, with the emergence of flexible solar panels – such as thin film silicon panels and even Organic Photovoltaics, combining shade products with Solar Power is a reality.
Thin Film products are lightweight and flexible in nature. Thus they are able to be adhered to awnings, canopies and other shade products without causing adverse effects on the structure of the canopies. The panels can be attached in a number of different ways. Therefore, you are able to create a shade structure that not only provides shade, but also generates free, clean electricity for the owner of the structure. The electricity produced can be used by the owner for their own use, or can be fed back into the national grid to generate an income. Solar shade is now becoming an increasingly attractive package as it offers additional benefits to a standard tensile membrane shade structure.
How does producing renewable energy through a shade structure bring an income? The Government announced in April 2010 the start of the Feed-In-Tariff scheme (FITs). The FITs are a 25 year Government guaranteed income scheme in which the Government pay producers of renewable energy for every kilowatt hour of energy they produce. Due to this, shade structures combined with photovoltaics are an even more attractive prospect because of this.
Traditional Solar Panels and Thin film panels have been made using Silicon. Silicon has many properties that mean it can harness power from the sun. These panels are effective when the sun shines directly on them. However, when the sun is not shining directly on the panels their effectiveness drops rapidly. With the British climate as it is, solar panels have struggled to be effective in the UK. However, the third generation of Solar Panels – Organic Photovoltaics – threatens to finally bring effective solar power in the UK.
Organic photovoltaics are carbon based, and rely on daylight rather than direct sunlight to generate electricity. Due to this characteristic, OPV will finally deliver Solar Panels that will be effective in the UK. What’s more, they are extremely thin, lightweight and flexible making them ideally suited to being on the roof of a shade structure. The OPV is so flexible that it can be spread across the entire roof of a tensile membrane structure, following the curves of the roof.
Schools, Hospitals, Restaurants, Coffee Houses and Pubs are just a few places where the demand for solar shade is growing, and where the structures are ideally suited to. The commercial industry, warehouses and all application wanting a roof that harnesses the power of the sun can benefit from a solar shade structure. With continuing advancement in the technology for Solar Panels – making them thinner, lighter and more capable of generating effective solar power, even in temperate climates – the solar shade industry in the UK is set to expand rapidly.
Friday, 8 October 2010
Tensile PV: Combining Tensile Membrane with Photovoltaics
In our January and April newsletters of this year we discussed how schools are targeted with becoming a sustainable school by 2020; also discussed was the Feed-In-Tariff scheme and the various benefits schools, care homes and all who generate renewable energy can receive.
Inside2Outside’s focus has been on photovoltaics (PV – Solar power that generates electricity), and applying PV to our canopies. This combination has created an exciting new product that we are now selling – Tensile PV. What do you need to know when thinking about whether to use Tensile PV?
What is it?
Tensile PV is a simple combination of Tensile Membrane Fabric with photovoltaics. Our Tensile PV uses thin-film, lightweight and flexible PV with our tensile membrane structures. Ideal applications of it are:
• Canopies
• Walkways
• Roofs
There are a number of options out there for those interested in solar power. Large, bulky photovoltaics are commonly available from many places. However, there are key characteristics that make Tensile Pv stand out from other solar options.
Why Tensile PV?
Not only do you reap all of the benefits of having a shade structure, in that you receive protection from the sun, rain, snow and wind, but you gain added benefits from the photovoltaics. How?
• It produces renewable energy that will generate an income through the Government Feed-In-Tariff scheme
• It saves money on electricity bills
• It is lightweight, flexible and aesthetically pleasing
• It has unique characteristics, generating electricity from lower light levels that previous PV available, making it ideally suited to the UK
• Tensile PV can reduce your Carbon Footprint
• It is future proof – keep your system up to date with Tensile PV
Further to this, schools can use Tensile PV to aid them with their curriculum and help them to achieve sustainable schools status. Tensile PV is an exciting, new product which brings a range of benefits to those who use it.
Tensile PV Canopies can pay for themselves
• Our structures save energy by providing shade
• Harvest energy from the sun as electrical energy for your own use or for the national grid
• Use electricity produced to reduce your energy bills
Inside2Outside’s focus has been on photovoltaics (PV – Solar power that generates electricity), and applying PV to our canopies. This combination has created an exciting new product that we are now selling – Tensile PV. What do you need to know when thinking about whether to use Tensile PV?
What is it?
Tensile PV is a simple combination of Tensile Membrane Fabric with photovoltaics. Our Tensile PV uses thin-film, lightweight and flexible PV with our tensile membrane structures. Ideal applications of it are:
• Canopies
• Walkways
• Roofs
There are a number of options out there for those interested in solar power. Large, bulky photovoltaics are commonly available from many places. However, there are key characteristics that make Tensile Pv stand out from other solar options.
Why Tensile PV?
Not only do you reap all of the benefits of having a shade structure, in that you receive protection from the sun, rain, snow and wind, but you gain added benefits from the photovoltaics. How?
• It produces renewable energy that will generate an income through the Government Feed-In-Tariff scheme
• It saves money on electricity bills
• It is lightweight, flexible and aesthetically pleasing
• It has unique characteristics, generating electricity from lower light levels that previous PV available, making it ideally suited to the UK
• Tensile PV can reduce your Carbon Footprint
• It is future proof – keep your system up to date with Tensile PV
Further to this, schools can use Tensile PV to aid them with their curriculum and help them to achieve sustainable schools status. Tensile PV is an exciting, new product which brings a range of benefits to those who use it.
Tensile PV Canopies can pay for themselves
• Our structures save energy by providing shade
• Harvest energy from the sun as electrical energy for your own use or for the national grid
• Use electricity produced to reduce your energy bills
Thursday, 7 October 2010
Company News
Install Record
This year we enjoyed the busiest summer of installs and this trend is continuing throughout the autumn. It is expected to continue as we progress through the winter.
Photovoltaics
The Tensile PV we offer is advancing and we now have staff dedicated to ensuring the PV used is the best available, so that our customers get the right solution for them.
Company Outing
The staff was treated to a trip to the theatre as a reward for their record breaking work this year. The team went to watch Queen – We Will Rock You. The trip was a very enjoyable and it was a well-deserved break for the team.
This year we enjoyed the busiest summer of installs and this trend is continuing throughout the autumn. It is expected to continue as we progress through the winter.
Photovoltaics
The Tensile PV we offer is advancing and we now have staff dedicated to ensuring the PV used is the best available, so that our customers get the right solution for them.
Company Outing
The staff was treated to a trip to the theatre as a reward for their record breaking work this year. The team went to watch Queen – We Will Rock You. The trip was a very enjoyable and it was a well-deserved break for the team.
Friday, 1 October 2010
Golf Training Bay
In July Inside2Outside started trialling a new product – A Golf Training Bay. The Golf Training Bay is designed to over a practice bunker, and to protect those inside from the weather when it takes a turn for the worse.
The product has an aluminium frame, a tensile membrane roof and plexiglas half sides surrounding the sides and back of the structure to provide protection, but keep the outdoor feel for the golfers.
With an angled roof to allow golfers to get the height they need to play the ball out of the bunker, integral guttering is also provided to prevent rainwater from spilling off the roof into the bunker.
Longstanton Golf Club were first to try the prototype out and have had positive feedback from customers on the usefulness and practicality of the structure, as well as its aesthetically pleasing looks.
Adrienne Engleman, PGA Professional at Longstanton Golf Club commented ‘It’s a smart structure, the colour fits in great and the customers have expressed how they’ve enjoyed using it.’ Golfers are fully protected against the elements when underneath the structure, and its unique design allow golfers to get play their full range of shots that may be required from a bunker.
Adrienne continues ‘It’s really got people talking. Beforehand people ignored the practice bunker the structure is over, now they automatically go to it. It’s clear, there is lots of space, and it let’s light in. It’s especially handy when the weather is bad and you want to practice your bunker shots, as now you can play it without getting soaked!’
Jason Holland, Sales Advisor who is a keen golfer added ‘It really aids your confidence when playing bunkers as you are able to get the practice in whatever the weather.’
The product has an aluminium frame, a tensile membrane roof and plexiglas half sides surrounding the sides and back of the structure to provide protection, but keep the outdoor feel for the golfers.
With an angled roof to allow golfers to get the height they need to play the ball out of the bunker, integral guttering is also provided to prevent rainwater from spilling off the roof into the bunker.
Longstanton Golf Club were first to try the prototype out and have had positive feedback from customers on the usefulness and practicality of the structure, as well as its aesthetically pleasing looks.
Adrienne Engleman, PGA Professional at Longstanton Golf Club commented ‘It’s a smart structure, the colour fits in great and the customers have expressed how they’ve enjoyed using it.’ Golfers are fully protected against the elements when underneath the structure, and its unique design allow golfers to get play their full range of shots that may be required from a bunker.
Adrienne continues ‘It’s really got people talking. Beforehand people ignored the practice bunker the structure is over, now they automatically go to it. It’s clear, there is lots of space, and it let’s light in. It’s especially handy when the weather is bad and you want to practice your bunker shots, as now you can play it without getting soaked!’
Jason Holland, Sales Advisor who is a keen golfer added ‘It really aids your confidence when playing bunkers as you are able to get the practice in whatever the weather.’
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