How Your YMCA Can Afford a Retractable Enclosure And Reap The Benefits

Long term investments are necessary for any community organization. As the Director of a YMCA, you need to make strategic investments to the property that benefit the most people and give donors the biggest returns for their investment. Retractable roof enclosures are a perfect all season investment that will benefit your YMCAs community year round. The pool enclosures can provide a warm inviting environment for members of all ages. Retractable enclosures are not just a worthwhile investment at YMCA facilities, but offer reduced yearly operating costs and increased opportunities for programming therefore increased membership and an expanded donor base.

Below, we have a guide on how affordable retractable enclosures are as well as the other benefits that retractable roof enclosures offer.

• What Are Retractable Enclosures?

Retractable enclosures are motorized roofs that slide open or retract and let in the beautiful sunshine while providing shelter year round when closed. Retractable pool enclosures provide a real indoor setting that feels as if you are outdoors. This alleviates all concerns from members about weather related closures. They can be added to an existing facility or as part of a new project and are designed to blend organically with the architecture to create a stunning new look. Retractable roof enclosures are often used for swimming pools, competition pools, spa pools, and hot tubs; however, retractable roofs can be used at many more diverse venues such as sport and restaurant enclosures. They can also be used to cover patios or decks and sunrooms. By connecting a pool enclosure to your YMCA, you create easy and direct access to your pool for even the coldest or wettest climates.

• The Benefits Of Retractable Enclosures
• Durability

Aluminum retractable enclosures offer unbeatable durability because aluminum will resist corrosion from moisture and harsh pool chemicals. This results in reducing the maintenance costs your facility.

• Yearly Cost Savings

This dynamic motorized enclosure is less expensive to operate than a typical indoor pool environment, because it’s reducing the need for 24/7 lighting and expensive air-conditioning as is needed in a typical indoor pool, along with other standard dehumidification equipment. A translucent retractable roof pool enclosure allows natural daylight and fresh breezes to illuminate and circulate the air in your pool space, meaning mother nature is taking the cost out of expensive pool facility equipment when the roof is open and the sun is shining.

• Adds Sunshine And Shelters Community Members

The choice of enclosure glazing materials provide exposure to the warmth of the sun without the harmful effects of UV rays. They creates a vibrant, naturally-lit environment that opens to the sunlight of warm days, but also closes securely in less favorable weather.

• Increases YMCA Membership and Donor base

YMCA facilities reap the benefits of the retractable roof pool enclosure, which allows operators to increase facility attendance, membership and programming, therefore appealing to a wider donor base.

• Access To Facilities 24/7

They allow you to use your pool, hot tub, swim spa or patio year-round – even on cold or snowy days.

• Less Maintenance

Retractable roofs enclosures are not only excellent for overcoming weather challenges, but they can also help to reduce facility maintenance costs and subsequent downtime. A typical steel pool enclosure requires re-painting and touch ups regularly to fight off the effects of chloramines in the air for a standard pool. A wood pool enclosure is subject to rot and a concrete enclosure is subject to painting and moisture damage. A powder coated painted aluminum structure won’t corrode and the motors, built with corrosion proof materials do not require lubrication. There really is such thing as a no maintenance building.

• Ease of Operation

The retractable roof can be opened or closed quickly and safely by the push of a button. When bad weather occurs, the retractable roof can be closed and then retracted again at a better time, if necessary. Generally a roof, depending on size, will open or close in a matter of minutes, so aquatic staff control the space and environment when its in use.

• Environmentally Friendly

Solid aluminum enclosures and glazed surfaces contribute to a variety of LEED based environmental and energy saving construction criteria and as such a number of OpenAire aquatic facilities, in communities invested in environmental sustainability, are rated LEED Gold or Silver. The intent beyond construction itself of all energy and building codes, is to have buildings be more sustainable and more energy efficient, OpenAire retractable roof pool enclosures accomplish both. Therefore this is an investment that reducing your YMCA’s carbon footprint, a win win for communities around the globe.

• Clean Air

The enclosure allows fresh air to circulate naturally; creating a warm and inviting outdoor style space when the roof and walls are open. Fresh air gets in while unpleasant odors or chemical odors from the pool can escape. The motorized roof is not fully open or fully closed, which allows facilities to simply open the roof, a “bit” year round as needed to continually refresh the space.

• Affordability

In the modern world with a continually changing environment, many facilities are finding new ways to reduce costs, increase revenue, and ensure local residents have facilities that meet their needs. If your YMCA is to continue serving your community, financial and environmental efficiency are essential over the long-term. Retractable pool enclosures provide the benefit of extending the life of your pool and bringing in members to your YMCA while reducing maintenance time and energy costs. The cost of an enclosure will depend on factors such as the enclosure size, your location, your climate (wind, rain, snow loads) and local building codes. But communities of all sizes (from populations of 6500 people and up) have found that when doing the cost benefit and ROI analysis comparing a retractable roof enclosure to a traditional indoor pool building, the up to 30% in cost savings long term just make sense. The aluminum retractable roof enclosure really is the less expensive long term option.   

The Long-Term Benefits Of an all Aluminum Enclosure

Aluminum structures have the following features:

• Thermally broken aluminum frames that help to reduce heat transfer inside to out and vise versas,
• A paint finish that is baked on to prevent corrosion,
• No need for repainting as the paint is long-lasting,
• Product weight is lighter in comparison with steel, and
• Product flexibility is higher than steel.

Custom-made aluminum retractable roof enclosures will almost certainly help to draw in more visitors to your YMCA and help to maintain your member and donor base. All of these benefits of aluminum result in a long-term life cycle and cost-effective operational expenses.

Why Choose OpenAire?

The top reasons to choose OpenAire are:

1. OpenAire has been in business for over 30 years
2. OpenAire has been working with the YMCA for almost that entire time
3. Your destination gains all the benefits of an indoor and an outdoor facility – in a single space
4. Retractable roof enclosures and skylights are proven to create a pleasant environment and attract greater numbers of users, enhancing revenue, and
5. OpenAire’s retractable roofs deliver annual energy savings of up to 30% over traditional construction.
6. Other YMCA Directors and donor groups have already seen the benefit of these spaces and are great references for OpenAire

For more information on retractable enclosures, set up a consultation with OpenAire’s team today!