Sustainable Architecture Principals Include Adding Shade
Today, the importance of sustainable design is more prevalent than ever. Negative human impact on the planet calls for creating modern architecture with more than just human desire in mind. According to Dartmouth Professor Jason F. McLennan, sustainable design “seeks to redefine how buildings are designed, built, and operated to be more responsible to the environment and responsive to people.”
When designing and building a sustainable space, there are certain things that must be kept in mind. Principles of sustainable architecture are at the core of this venture. Architecture Magazine lists seven of these principles. Environment, energy and efficiency are key themes within these that are instrumental in creating sustainable architecture. Apollo Sunguard uses designs that mimic nature, offers products that conserve energy and resources and provides efficient products for customers that are easy to maintain and backed by the industry’s strongest warranty.
Mimicking the Environment
Apollo Sunguard takes pride in creating designs that do not disrupt the environment. Biomimicry is one example of how they are actively implementing this concept. According to the Biomimicry Institute, the goal of biomimicry is to create products, processes, and policies that are designed for life now and into the future by using patterns and strategies that are found in nature. To execute this, Apollo Sunguard has created shade structures that mimic real trees. The shade fabric blocks out UV rays while allowing air to pass through just as trees do, allowing the shaded area to be up to 20 degrees cooler than the surrounding temperature.
Saving Energy
Apollo Sunguard understands the importance of conservation through the protection of natural resources, which is another principal in sustainable architecture. McLennan iterates how valuable energy is as a resource and using it requires great responsibility. To help conserve energy, Apollo Sunguard offers charging stations for vehicles. Electric vehicles can be powered with the use of renewable energy, which conserves resources.
Apollo Sunguard’s shade structures also help batteries save energy. Batteries do not function properly in excessive heat. The batteries in electric vehicles can require up to 2kW more power to charge fully when they are parked in direct sunlight.
In addition to shade structures, Apollo Sunguard offers powerful shaded parking spots that incorporate state-of-the-art carport frames with solar panels and vehicle charging stations. These solar carports have proven to reduce energy costs, increase property values, protect vehicles from harsh UV rays and reduce the overall carbon footprint.
Casting shade over buildings or glass entranceways during hotter times of the day is another way shade structures can offer energy savings. With the reduced direct sunlight on a building, it can use less energy to run air conditioning without the heat of the sun warming the building as much. This saves both energy and money for the customer.
Encouraging Efficiency
Another principle of architectural sustainability is efficiency. This has multiple meanings for Apollo Sunguard’s shade structures, including the integrity of the product and the energy efficiency that the product provides. Architecture Magazine explains the durability of a product is incredibly important to sustainability. This is because products that last do not take up space in landfills. Apollo’s products are made to last many years.
The shade structures that Apollo produces require little maintenance for the customer. Apollo Sunguard’s products are made with the highest quality materials and are extremely resistant. In a circumstance when the shade needs maintenance or to be taken down, Apollo has created an efficient quick release system to remove the fabric covers that requires no special tools. This saves the customer time and headaches. Apollo Sunguard products also come with a 15-year warranty on fabric and a 20-year warranty on steel.
Recognized Quality
With the care that Apollo Sunguard puts into its products, it is no surprise that they follow principles of sustainable architecture. They want the best for not only their customers, but for the entire world. On top of all the other sustainable benefits that are provided by Apollo Sunguard, they are listed as an environmental product by the General Services Administration of the United States government.
Apollo Sunguard understands the importance of sustainable Architecture and offers products that reduce a structure’s overall carbon footprint. To learn more about Apollo Sunguard, call 1-800-319-1010 or email [email protected].
