If you ever wondered where the subtle insult “throwing shade” comes from you can thank English novelist Jane Austen who used the term in her 1814 novel “Mansfield Park”.
Austen, the author of such classics “Sense and Sensibility”, “Pride and Prejudice”, and “Emma”, also knew shade to be a good thing since she also wrote in “Mansfield Park”: “To sit in the shade on a fine day and look upon verdure is the most perfect refreshment.”
While Austen had no knowledge of the sun’s harmful U.V. rays in 1814, she certainly was onto something as shade is essential to protect people and their possessions from the heat and other elements.
“Most skin cancers are caused by too much exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light. UV rays are an invisible kind of radiation that comes from the sun,” says the CDC. “UV rays can damage skin cells. Protection from UV rays is important all year, not just during the summer. You can reduce your risk of sun damage and skin cancer by staying in the shade.”
Throwing (Good) Shade: Structures to Keep You Cool
The importance of throwing shade – the good type of shade! – where children and people gather cannot be overestimated.
A 2019 article in the Journal of Public Health found that “providing effective shade in playgrounds may reduce children’s risk of sunburn, skin cancer, and heat stress, and increase play times.”
This makes shade structures, such as Shade Systems Inc. pre-engineered outdoor shade structures which screen up to 99 percent of the sun’s dangerous UV rays, essential to complete public and private outdoor spaces.
“Our extensive line of fabric shade structures, umbrellas, tents, canopies, awning shades and sun shelters to cover playgrounds, bleachers, dugouts, sports fields, pool areas, waterplay and waterpark areas, concessions, and other outdoor spaces where protection is needed from the sun’s harmful U.V. rays,” says Shade Systems Inc.
Shade Structures: Many Different Uses
While you might traditionally think of shade structures as those over tables and seating in public parks, the uses today span many different types of uses.
Consider these three recent projects that utilized Shade Systems Inc:
- Provided shade structures for a pool complex and over 500 parking spaces at a new upscale rental apartment community
- Provided shade structures for a swimming pool, bocce ball court, and pickleball courts at a retirement community.
- Provided shade structures for children’s playground equipment at a community park.
Shade Systems' easy canopy removal and reattachment in the event of intense winds, along with its Turn-N-Slide™ patented easy fastening system and unique one-point stainless steel attachment system make it an ideal solution for many settings including:
- Pools, Pool decks, and Waterparks
- Playgrounds and Parks
- Children’s Play Areas
- Picnic Shelters
- School Yards and Patios
- Outdoor Dining Spaces
- Walkways
- Sports Fields and Outdoor Sports Courts
- Bleachers, Bench Areas and Dugouts
- Concession Areas, Stands and Kiosks
- Convention Centers and Outdoor Trade Shows
- Car Dealerships
- Airport Parking Lots
- Commercial and Retail Parking Lots
Cool Rides: Protecting Vehicles in Parking Lots
While protecting children and adults from the sun’s harmful UV rays is key, shade structures are also important for protecting valuable possessions such as vehicles.
High-volume parking lots at car dealerships, airports and other commercial and retail spaces have taken advantage of shade structures to protect their assets and their clients’ assets.
“Our fabric canopies are perfect for protecting parked vehicles from hail damage as well as the sun’s harmful U.V. rays. Parked vehicles stay cool, and hail bounces off the fabric canopies thereby reducing the risk of costly damage to vehicles and likely reducing your insurance costs,” says Shade Systems Inc.
Also available night lighting features can be important for security and safety in parking lots and other parking areas.
Options and Advantages of Shade Structures
Since there are so many uses for shade structures, Shade Systems Inc. has a plethora of options to choose from in setting up sun protection including:
- Mega Spans
- Squares and Rectangles
- Hexagons and Octagons
- Wraparound Single Cantilevers
- Single Cantilevers
- Double Cantilevers
- T-Cantilevers
- Arc Cantilevers
- ‘Sails’
- Multi-Level ‘Sails’
- Shade Kites
- Single Posts
- Double Posts
- Shade Walks
- Tornado
- Vehicle Parking
There are many advantages to utilizing shade structures from a company such as Shade Systems Inc including:
- Vibrant colors and endless design possibilities
- 99 percent of the sun’s harmful U.V. rays are screened which have been shown to cause skin cancer
- Feature a unique stainless steel one-point attachment system with concealed stainless steel tension cables for long life and low maintenance
- Easy canopy removal
- Shade Systems shade structures feature a sturdy hurricane-rated metal frame and code-compliant commercial strength fabrics
- In the event of severe weather such as hurricanes or for maintenance, removal and reattachment of the canopy is a breeze with the patented Turn-N-Slide™ easy canopy removal and reattachment system is built in.
Contact Churchich today to add shade structure protection to your outdoor space.