Made in the Shade: A Cost Saving Green Landscaping Solution

By Brett Hanley, Seashell International

Providing an eco-friendly solution for outdoor living space, Radial Retractable Awning systems are customizable with 90-degree, 180-degree, 270-degree and 360-degree self-retractable shade solutions designed for both residential and commercial use. Images courtesy of Seashell International

Even in the midst of economic turbulence, it still is important for clients to continue investing in their home as an asset. Now more than ever, home improvements should go beyond just adding aesthetics and provide return on investment.

Outdoor living spaces continue to be a growing trend, and backyards are becoming a reflection of homeowners' sense of style and personality, while still offering economic and environmental benefits. No longer relegated to a few folding chairs, landscape contractors are designing client backyards based on the principle that an outdoor living room is as important as an indoor room.

These unique designs enable shading in those tight and awkward corner locations where umbrellas are impractical and clash with the architectural design. Radial Retractables are simple solutions that reach beyond the ordinary, transcending straight lines and going around common barriers to deliver a fantastic solution for the need of protection from the elements.

Awnings are one home improvement that provides ROI in any climate. Landscape contractors can convince their clients that a awnings can provide AC energy savings by reducing heat gain. In most homes, more cooling energy is lost through glass doors and windows than any other part of the house. Awnings can provide benefits to people living without air conditioning too by reducing inside temperatures by as much as 8 to 15 degrees. A well-placed awning can add thousands of dollars to the price of a home, especially in smaller homes where square footage is at a premium.

Awnings provide substantial protection from harsh environmental factors all year round. Particularly with the kinds of damage that exposure to the sun and heat can inflict not only on your skin, but on your furnishings and living areas. The long-term investment made on quality furnishings and equipment is high, and protecting these long-term investment and usability is vital.

Engineered to be safe, Radial Retractable Awnings are designed to self-retract when faced with 30-35 mph winds, ensuring that the awning returns to its receiver-housing where it safely and securely locks in place before damage to either the awning or the structure can occur.

The Evolution of Shade

Over the previous decades, the environmental impact of awnings has often been criticized due to their inability to stand up to the elements. That's where an innovative product from ''Down Under'' has turned the awning, and furthermore the landscape shade market, upside down.

With incredible flexibility and customization, Radial Retractable Awnings can be adapted to ideally suit any application and installation, no matter how complex. Radial Retractable Awnings were born in Australia more than 10 years ago and have been launched here in North America by SeaShell International Inc.

Manufactured from recycled aluminum and durable, waterproof PVC coated sail material, these awnings provide UV protection and are treated with anti-fungal and anti-mold agents for years of maintenance-free use. Also designed for worry-free ownership, they help lower energy consumption by reducing solar heat gain through windows. This can have a direct result of an estimated 36-48 percent savings in annual cooling costs.

Either surface mounted with lag bolts into two separate studs, Fascia or Roof mounted with tie backs to the joists, or easily pole mounted offering superior coverage up to 936 sq ft of a single footing and 10'' pole.

An energy study conducted by the Center for Sustainable Building Research at the University of Minnesota revealed the impact of awnings in residential buildings. According to the study, awnings can reduce annual cooling energy by as much as 16 percent in hot climates, and as much as 14 percent in moderate climates, compared to homes with completely unshaded windows. The amount of cooling energy saved varies depending on the number of windows, type of glass in the windows, window orientation and the climate the house is in. The homes that receive the greatest energy-savings benefits from awnings have mostly west-facing windows.

These awnings are the only retractables designed to be left out in their deployed state year round. They are able to do this due to the fact that they are kept deployed by a series of magnets that are located within the awning arms. Once the load on the awnings reaches a certain point, either from wind, rain, hail or snow, the magnets will separate and the awning quickly retracts into its stowed, locked position.

Due to this magnet technology, these products can be left unattended day in and day out, further enhancing their ability to reduce Solar Heat gain. These awnings are made out of strong, but light-weight aluminum that can be mounted in several ways.

Easy to install, radial retractables are made out of strong, but light weight aluminum that can be mounted in several ways. With retail prices averaging around $20 per square foot, it's easy to see that Radial Retractable Awnings truly are?EUR??,,????'?????<