Retractable Roof Systems Add the Wow-Factor to Private Health and Social Member Clubs

Want to add a unique selling point to attract new members to your exclusive health club? Retractable roof systems allow far more than just being able to swim in all kinds of weather; they are striking architectural features too. The health-conscious members of these clubs flock to these facilities for social and health reasons, which include playing sports or to attend special events and celebrations, and the club’s facilities can make or break the experience that they have. We take a look at how a retractable roof system can add an essential wow-factor to your club and ensure all members make full use of the space.

What Are Retractable Roofs?

Retractable roofs are the modern generation of roofing systems that can be opened up to let the sunshine and fresh air in on good weather days and closed during bad weather – literally at the push of a button. This provides the ultimate in flexibility; creating the required level of protection from the weather while maintaining optimum conditions for activity. Retractable roofs have to boast a clever and innovative design because they need to be able to move hundreds of kilograms of Aluminum and polycarbonate or glass cladding – quickly and efficiently – at the push of a button. Each retractable roof enclosure is unique and each one has its own support and control system that enables the roofing panels to safely and reliably retract in order to expose the area it covers.

Club facilities are surprisingly complex facilities with a variety of interior programming requirements and temperature conditions, which require significant coordination between architecture and engineering and operations. Facilities with retractable roofs create maximum flexibility. The proven design of these roofs by a company with global experience is needed in order to maximize both club members’ experience and increase the all-important return on investment. Retractable roofs can help to ensure that a health club can be used for purposes besides sports, for instance for occasions such as social gatherings, exhibitions, and recreation. This flexibility in design for the systems helps build a business case for investing in a retractable roof for a number of areas within your club. A retractable roof does not only need to cover the pool, think about your event spaces, tennis courts, restaurant, and more.

Another advantage is to ensure that special events aren’t canceled on account of unforeseen or sudden bad weather. Clubs can benefit tremendously from the additional revenue associated with special celebrations; however, some members may not want to attend or may even want to cancel if the weather looks like it will not cooperate. Thanks to a retractable roof, activities can proceed as planned, regardless of the weather conditions. The member’s overall experience and enjoyment, as well as the environment in which members attend special events, are far better when they involve a retractable roof, meaning revenue loss from canceled events due to bad weather will cease to be an issue.

Retractable Roof System Adds a Wow-Factor to Private Clubs in the Following Way:

Adds Natural Vegetation to Improve the Environment of Any Club

Traditional opaque roof structures do not allow adequate sunshine for natural grass, plants or any other vegetation to grow beyond the typical flowers in pots. By facilitating an abundance of natural vegetation, a club improves the quality of the air and atmosphere in the space, which benefits the health of all members. An effective, efficient and dynamic retractable roof solution requires considerable input from architects, engineers, owners, and operators. Adding translucency to the retractable roof provides an adequate level of lighting that can facilitate plant growth. A space with greenery, trees, and more, which filters the air, will create an environment where members will want to spend their precious time.

Adds Increased Lighting and Brightness

Large translucent or transparent roof panels allow the interior to be flooded with natural light, drastically reducing the need for artificial lighting during the daytime. Perfect for a variety of uses, the attractive sliding operable roof sections can cover any interior space during inclement weather or can be completely opened to turn indoors into outdoors for members to enjoy sunny days. Research shows that the use of dynamic daylight in social areas such as spas, retailers, restaurants, community centers, offices, and other venues is linked to greater visitor traffic, positive customer experiences, significant savings on energy and lighting costs, improved health among visitors and employees, and more. People are attracted to and benefit from dynamic natural lighting not only psychologically but physiologically as well. This is why venues that install retractable roofing and other naturally lit enclosures find a full spectrum of improvement to their overall business performance, including reduced energy costs.

Proven Engineering

Retractable roofing uses advanced structural engineering to design an elegantly proportioned roof structure design for any location. Large segments are moved into position to cover open areas, with a sturdy and strong permanent roof. Aluminum roof structures are maintenance free and come with a standard 5-year full warranty, meaning that you and your team can focus on marketing your facility to potential club members, while the facility itself remains worry-free.

Modern Design

A key aspect not to be underestimated is the stylish look of retractable skylights or enclosures. By installing a retractable roof, you can create a space which flows seamlessly between indoors and outdoors, offering a modern, sleek, and practical space while at the same time expanding its function. The aluminum-framed, glass (or other) paneled roofs feature bays of motorized, operable roof panels that will open and close at the touch of a button. They can also feature new modern designs such as high-side walls with entire walls that open, which together with the roof panels will create a truly outdoor atmosphere full of fresh air. Imagine enjoying a great meal with a fantastic glass of wine under an open skylight filled with fresh air and surrounded by a beautiful view any time of year. The retractable roof system opens and closes easily and efficiently to achieve this effect.

Gives life back to older properties

As more historic properties are redeveloped or older clubs are being redesigned, it is becoming necessary for owners to renovate these spaces to make them more appealing to their clientele. Retractable roof skylight solutions can offer an ideal solution for these projects. The custom retractable skylights bring new life to historic locations by letting in dynamic sunlight and fresh air, all while staying faithful to the venues’ original designs and atmosphere. The techniques have been highly successful in historic locations internationally.

Adds a WOW-factor to the Club’s Pool

Many health clubs have pools. And, if they don’t, they probably plan to add a pool in the near future. A retractable translucent roof that lets in the sunshine can add the “wow” factor that differentiates your facility from the rest. If you want to grow your club by word of mouth, you need a facility worthy of praise. The way to achieve this is by installing a retractable roof enclosure so that members can use the pool all year round, regardless of the weather, and in this manner benefit from a club that offers both an indoor and an outdoor pool. Besides being able to play sports and swim all year round, members and staff enjoy a greater sense of well being. The ability to be in touch with nature while exercising can make a tremendous difference in the satisfaction levels of your members.

The Benefits of an Aluminum Roof

An aluminum retractable roof is undoubtedly your best bet when compared to a standard roof constructed from wood, steel or concrete in a building, specifically for an aquatic venue. This is due to the fact that they can also help to keep energy costs low. They also help to save money because the aluminum will never have to be repainted, and a reputable company will only use stainless steel hardware in aquatic environments. When they are manufactured with a baked-on paint finish, the risk of corrosion over time is eliminated, making them an endlessly durable long-term investment. Aluminum retractable roofs are also known to be more lightweight and flexible for renovations and new builds.

OpenAire’s Retractable Roof Systems for Your Club

A retractable roof enclosure is a regular building or skylight, with an interesting extra feature, but, just like a brick and mortar structure, it must meet the building code for your location. Moreover, it should be water-tight, low maintenance, cost-effective, durable, aesthetically pleasing, and able to span large or small distances. It is crucial that you find a reputable and proven supplier with a global track record of designing, building, fabricating, shipping, and installing retractable roof and enclosures, with a global service warranty. You should expect the enclosure to be robust enough to withstand even the harshest weather conditions.

OpenAire can custom design a retractable roof to suit any project. Our portfolio features almost 1.000 projects of all sizes and shapes, in terrains and climates all over the world. OpenAire retractable roof enclosures and skylights can outperform traditional buildings in some key metrics. With OpenAire, the life cycle costs are lower, the environmental impact is less, and the user’s general health, well-being, and satisfaction are invariably higher. Significant energy and operational savings truly make OpenAire the best solution for almost any opening roof system. In particular, in an aquatic venue, our retractable roof skylights and enclosures can save operators and owners up to 30% in a typical year on their energy costs.

Any building can benefit from an OpenAire retractable roof system. Whether your plans involve a brand-new construction or a retrofit, working with heritage buildings or designing to extreme weather specifications, our experts design your enclosure to make your vision a reality. OpenAire can custom design a solution to meet the needs of a new structure or as an addition to your existing facility.

OpenAire’s motorized retractable roofs will introduce a spectacular visual factor into your building. Imagine a space that embraces the best of outdoor-indoor living. No amount of artificial lighting can replace a venue that, regardless of the weather conditions, invites in natural daylight and fresh air whenever possible. In addition, exposure to daylight in buildings can return huge dividends, such as:

• • Increased occupant productivity,
  • Improved psychological and physiological well-being, and
  • Better energy management.

Besides the “WOW” factor, adding a retractable roof to your building will permit all year round usability of the space. That translates to not only a better ROI but also higher property values.

For more info on our retractable roof systems, contact the OpenAire team today.