How Green Awnings Are “leeding” The Way In Energy Savings And Are A Great First Step In Leed Certifi

By Author: Michael Richman
Total Articles: 12
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An awning for retailers may reduce solar gain during the hottest summer months or allow for the sun to shine in during the colder months, which should be your highest priorities for employee and customer comfort. But that’s only the beginning of their benefits. Awnings are a vital first step in reducing energy costs and a helpful way to achieve LEED certification.

Retailers big and small, from big box to mom-and-pop, are trying to make their work establishment environmentally-friendly by following certain guidelines set forth by LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design). And to a large extent, green awnings are an ideal way to begin that certification process. What’s more, businesses can lower operating costs and conserve our world’s natural resources. One of the easiest ways for your business to contribute to a greener world would be to install a green awning over your windows and doors. Solar awnings are becoming increasingly popular among business owners and retailers alike. Not only for the benefits of helping the environment, but because their installation reduces significantly day-to-day operation ...
... costs, too, and earning an LEED certification carries both symbolic and practical weight. Symbolic in terms of the positive press corporate environmentalism carries, and pragmatic in the tax benefits associated with a new construction (NC) retail LEED stamp of approval.

Begun in 2000 by the US Green Building Council as a way to incentivize cleaner, greener new construction projects as well as the retrofitting of older ones, LEED certification is an environmental review process consisting of five primary construction, energy usage, building footprint and building usage criteria along with a litany of sub categories and a points-based tiered effectiveness system that includes terms like, “certified,” “silver,” “gold,” and “platinum.” And green awnings meet many of those standards. The three criteria (and their sub categories) green awnings most impact include:

* Sustainable site development – Among other elements, sustainable site development requires, open space conservation, storm water management, urban heat island reduction and light pollution mitigation. In each of these scenarios green awnings can help. Open space is conserved as retail awnings can be either fixed or retractable and awnings of either type extend a retail establishment’s commercial footprint without additional permanent and materials-intensive construction. Awnings also help channel rainwater from falling roofs. And if collected properly, excess rainfall can be trapped, preventing its immediate passage into the local water system, aiding in storm water management.

* The urban heat island effect – a localized temperature increase, especially at night, caused by the high solar radiation absorption and re-radiation rates of metallic and artificial structures – can be mitigated by using light or white awnings that better reflect more sunlight. Canvas or mesh material doesn’t get as hot as metal and therefore will not radiate as much stored heat in the evening. Light pollution can also be reduced as awnings often block a stores’ interior lighting and help refocus the light that does escape through windows (as patron visibility remains key) down toward the street level, illuminating sidewalks, but not residential homes in unwanted ways.

* Water Conservation – Awnings help collect rainwater and if used in concert with other technologies, can be a first-step in water purification and re-use. This is in addition to the already-mentioned storm water management.

* Energy and Atmosphere – Here is where green awnings are most effective. The sun's heat reflects off the pavement surrounding your business as well as bounces off other nearby buildings and returns making the temperature in the air much hotter. This effect is known as solar gain. That heat is then transferred in through your windows and doors and your air conditioner has to work harder to keep the temperature cooler inside your building. An environmentally friendly green awning can help you combat this issue. You can cover the ground around your building anytime so that the sun can't reflect back at your windows and doors. And of course, today’s technology has allowed for the advent of solar awnings, complete with solar cells, capable of generating significant electrical power on sunny, high sun angle days, generally from late March until late September in the northern hemisphere, although more effective closer to the equator. In conjunction with additional cells on retailers’ roofs, there are even days where business owners will see their electric meters run backwards. During these times retailers can sell excess power back to their local utility power grid.

A green awning can cut down solar gain by as much as 90% during the hot summer months when cooling your business is one of your highest priorities for the comfort of your employees and those who come to you as customers. Cutting down on the solar gain that comes in via glass windows and doors can lower indoor temperatures 8-15 degrees and your air conditioning costs by as much as 25%, saving valuable energy resources and your money during the summer. However during the winter months, as green awnings are removable or retractable, you can remove them. It helps in cutting down the heating costs of your business. You can remove the awnings and let the sun warm your establishment.

Having green awnings in place will also help you lower the cost of your businesses power bill by letting in natural sun light that is normally blocked out by window blinds and curtains. You will be able to use lower wattage bulbs and possibly have fewer lights on during the daytime business hours. Whatever your LEED status, be it Certified, Silver, Gold or Platinum, green awnings are an ideal way to begin the certification process.

Installing a green awning at your business establishment provides so many good benefits for you and the environment. Why would you not want to have one for your own business?

The writer is associated with Academy Inc, leading retail awning manufacturer and supplier, operating out of their 30,000 square foot facility in California.