OAKVILLE, Ontario – November 16, 2020 - OpenAire, the leading builder of retractable roof solutions, is thrilled to announce that on December 08, 2020 our first Retractable Roofs: A Sustainable Solution will be launched via a Webinar at 2pm EST hosted by Nancy Patterson, our Director of Design & Business Development. Upon completion of the live webinar, the course will be available 24/7 via the Architectural Record Continuing Education Library until the end of 2021. Architects will earn 1 AIA - LU - HSW Credit when they take the course!

OpenAire has spent many years extolling the health benefits of adding fresh air, daylight and natural ventilation to any location. A solution which can be added to an existing or a new space, but which has its roots in aquatic venues. Now, with eh onsite of Covid-19, its become critical to share our knowledge of the benefits for owners and designers. Energy savings, health, revenue opportunities and more. This is no longer an optional consideration, for many its a life line. As such it was the right time to put in writing what we know and share that with architects around the globe.

OpenAire has a global portfolio of over 1000 projects that range from retractable roofs over waterparks, to shopping malls, to restaurants, clubs, hotels, resorts, spas, to municipal and leisure centres, to private clubs, YMCAs, and prestige residences.

Our over thirty years of experience and vast portfolio of the design, engineering, fabrication, and installation of retractable roofs and operable walls has secured our position as forward thinking industry leaders, who work with architects to make their creative visions a reality. With the complexity faced by all businesses, in all industries this year, it was the right time to launch a course.

"We have been working with architects on design solutions for healthy, fresh ventilated spaces for years, but the challenges that came to the forefront amidst the 2020 pandemic, has meant we are working with many existing client owners to help them educate their local health departments about the benefits of "turning off" a building mechanically and letting Mother Nature do her thing. Suddenly spaces that open up to let nature in aren’t extras or add-ons, these buildings are critical for businesses to survive." said Director, Nancy Patterson.

The health and safety benefits of retractable roof solutions has become pronounced in recent months as the Covid-19 pandemic has spread around the world. The large volume of air that a retractable roof can bring into any space, provides a simple natural ventilation system that can help alleviate the challenges of virus transmission and can help make occupants feel comfortable and confident in the spaces we all design and create.

"Air flow in massive volumes turns buildings into natural chimneys. Many of our clients have been able to be open (albeit at limited capacity per local guidelines) and operate as "outdoor" facilities throughout the Covid-19 pandemic. Even with reduced guest capacities, it has meant there is income for these businesses throughout this complicated time. It has been wonderful to see some of our clients able to succeed in this otherwise chaotic year!" says OpenAire CEO, Mark Albertine.

While this is an especially critical solution for any type of aquatic venue; due to the corrosion and poor air quality from chloramines, the fact is that a large volume of fresh air can be added to any space where people gather, making those spaces useable year round, brightly lit, appealing to occupants and best of all cost efficient and environmentally sustainable.

Upon Completion of the course students will be able to:

• Explain what retractable roofs are and enumerate their applications for both new and existing buildings
• Describe how retractable roofs contribute to the health, safety, and well-being of building occupants
• Describe how retractable roofs can save energy through daylighting and reduced reliance on power grids
• Explain how a retractable roof can enable natural ventilation and reliance on mechanical systems plus potentially reduce the load of airborne disease pathogens
• Describe how retractable roofs are sustainable and can reduce the carbon footprint of a building
• Explain how retractable roofs can reduce operational costs of a building

The course will be worth one (1) AIA Continuing Education Learning Unit (1 AIA CE LU-HSW) which is easily transferable to Canadian Provincial Associations and other international Associations per association guidelines.

About OpenAire

OpenAire has been designing and manufacturing beautiful, high-quality, retractable roof structures and skylights for 31 years. We bring unique designs to life from concept to installation, transforming buildings into sunlit spaces that customers love. Headquartered in Oakville, Ontario, OpenAire has over 1,000 projects throughout North America, Europe, and the Middle East.

Some of our projects include unique and inviting commercial / entertainment and aquatic skylights and enclosures, such as the Rooftop Bar at the Refinery Hotel in New York NY (which achieved the #1 ranking in the 10 Best Readers’ Choice Award for Best Hotel Rooftop Bar 2015); the Rooftop XP at Hyatt House in Jersey City NJ; Ballpark Village in St. Louis MO; Restoration Hardware’s “RH Gallery” courtyard in Chicago IL; and Pizza Express in Jersey Isle UK.

Aquatic venues include; Zehnders Splash Village Waterpark in Frankenmuth MI and Epic Waters Waterpark in Grand Prairie TX; the award winning Plunge at FIT – Belmont Park in San Diego CA; Kalahari Resorts Waterpark, Poconos PA; Water Palace at Luzhniki Olympic Park, Moscow Russia.

To learn more about OpenAire Inc., visit https://openaire.com/ and follow us on Twitter. To discuss any projects, please e-mail sales@openaire.com.

CE Course Link: https://openaire.com/continuingeducation/

Host Nancy Patterson can be reached at: nancy.patterson@openaire.com

For more information contact:

OpenAire
TF: 855-426-9208
E: sales@openaire.com