Every Australian school should be equipped with amenities and structures to facilitate learning, provide comfort, and enhance student safety.
And, truth be told, there are many renovation projects school owners can undergo to improve the quality of life of students and teachers in their academic environment.
From classroom expansions to the incorporation of smart technology into classrooms, there are a number of creative ways school owners can increase the competitiveness of their commercial property.
One such investment is the installation of a commercial shade structure. A shade structure is an outdoor installation that provides shade and a cool refuge to students and individuals outdoors.
There are numerous benefits school owners can have when investing in a commercial shade structure. This article will list several benefits of investing in a shade structure in more detail.
Let’s jump right in.
1. Enhances Outdoor Learning Opportunities
While the majority of the education process is conducted within the four walls of the classroom, the educational environment can extend outdoors. In fact, for some subjects like physical education, an outdoor setting is even more conducive for learning as students need wide, open spaces to engage in team sports and similar activities.
Contrary to popular belief, shade structures aren’t only limited to covering a tiny expanse of land like a row of benches. These outdoor structures can span a wide area, measuring as wide as the width of a sports court. Take a look at Greenline’s Covered Outdoor Learning Area for an idea of the coverage area a shade structure can provide.
With a shade structure, you can transform outdoor spaces into viable learning environments for students to use. The zoning and protective ability of such a structure can set a comfortable and pleasant stage for outdoor learning, making the typical school day all the more exciting for your little one.
2. Protects People from Sun and Rain
Wherever you’re located in Australia, we all know that the sun can be a silent threat to our health.
This is due to two things: the elliptical shape of the earth (and Australia being physically closer to the sun during summertime as a result of this) and the big ozone hole over Antarctica letting in more UV rays into Australian territory.
Considering these factors, it’s crucial for Australian schools to set up safeguards to protect their student body against heat-related health risks like sunburn and skin cancer.
A shade structure is a perfect solution for this, granting students and parents refuge against the unrelenting summer heat, especially during high-UV days.
It also helps protect students from direct heat in general, which can reduce the risk of heat strokes and dehydration that often come with physical excursion.
Besides that, the school body can also benefit from shade structures through rain protection. This allows events to push through even if the weather conditions outside are rainy or drizzly.
With weather elements being no impediment, kids can enjoy their learning experience outside with much looser restrictions.
3. Increases Student Comfort
Your student’s perception of your school is an important factor for their continued patronage. If they see that your school is uncomfortable and behind in terms of amenities, they could talk about it with their parents and you could potentially lose them once the next school year rolls in.
As such, you should always strive to improve student amenities when your budget permits. If your outdoor area is currently barren or underutilised, a shade structure could be just the thing to spruce it up.
This structure, for one, helps improve outdoor comfort by designating a place for your students to comfortably stay in while outdoors.
For instance, with a shade structure, you could construct a shaded waiting area where your students can lounge before waiting for their ride home. You can also use a shade structure to cover a walkway that leads to your school gate, shielding people from getting wet when it rains.
These little additions can make a big difference in getting your students to feel comfortable in your school. When students are dry and comfortable, their mood and energy levels will be on the upswing. This can make them think of your school in a better light, which helps foster loyalty.
4. Improves School Aesthetics
Visual appeal is often a big selling point for buildings, schools being no exception. We all like to stop and appreciate eye-catching things, after all.
While education quality matters first and foremost, a good-looking school facility can make incoming students and current students all the more excited to study and talk about their school with pride.
A shade structure can help enhance your school’s overall design, providing a big and fixed structure to complement existing architecture. Many shade structure providers can work together with you to bring your design to life.
You have a lot of liberties when choosing a shade structure design. While there are templates like star-shaped designs, you can pick from different colourways, sizes, shapes, materials, and styles according to your needs.
With the right design, you can improve how the community and your school body perceive your school. You can even boost marketing efforts, as you can imprint school logos or make designs nice enough for people to share online.
In turn, this can make your school space a more inviting and appealing place to study overall.
5. Reduces Utility and Repair Costs
While it may seem subtle, a well-positioned commercial shade structure can play a big role in reducing your recurring bills.
It does this in multiple ways. For one, a well-placed shade structure can prevent heat from entering through your windows. This cooling effect makes it easier for your temperature control system to maintain a stable room temperature, thus leading to lower electricity costs overall.
Secondly, a shade structure also protects your school’s assets from weather damage. For instance, a shade structure placed atop children’s play equipment can reduce the equipment’s exposure to UV rays and rainwater, thus lengthening its longevity and reducing the need for frequent paint refreshes and repairs.
By mitigating weather exposure, your property’s lifespan increases, leading to more cost savings in the long run. It also minimises the need to undergo frequent repairs, which can be both a money and time saver.
6. Maximises Land Usability
Does your school have an outdoor space that’s underutilised? If so, consider repurposing it with the help of a commercial shade structure.
You can easily transform empty spaces in your school lot into working learning areas or extensions with a shade structure and some extra renovation.
This grants your students more areas to host a wide range of events, like school fairs, outdoor classes, and school-wide assemblies. It also prevents your school premises from overcrowding.
A shade structure doesn’t only create a space for physical education or waiting for the bus. It can also be used as an extension for eating, relaxing, or hanging out with friends.
By utilising your school’s land to the fullest, you’ll make your students happier and help them create more memories in the school.
7. Increases Property Value
With all the aforementioned benefits, it’s not hard to see how owning and installing a shade structure can be beneficial.
But that’s not all: a shade structure is also a permanent installation. This means that it’s value can be transferred to a new owner should you decide to sell it.
And even if you decide to keep your school property for the long run, the presence of a shade structure helps in increasing its perceived market value—usually at a higher rate than the cost it took you to set up the shade structure.
This not only increases your chances of flipping your school for a higher price, but it also makes it stand out against the sea of other schools in your area.
With this amenity, you’re signalling to the community that you’re committed to improving your school and increasing its outdoor safety. This can lead to new parents being more likely to enrol their child in your school, thus promoting your school’s growth in the long run.
