Don’t forget the covered walkway when designing garden centres

We all like to spend time in garden centres, but those which don’t have a covered walkway are likely to lose customers on days when the sun goes into hiding and the rainclouds take over. Nobody likes to receive a thorough soaking, especially when we are doing something enjoyable, so if you are involved in garden centre design you should be thinking about ways to keep customers dry. If you manage to do that, the centre will play host to a greater number of customers, and the end result will be more revenue and further commercial success. It really is a win-win situation for all concerned.

As well as providing adequate cover for end users, a covered walkway is also an attractive asset that adds to the aesthetic value of any business. It provides a natural entryway for consumers, and it sends a clear message that visitors are welcome whenever the site is open for business. In the case of garden centres, it enables men, women and children to browse the plants, ornaments, outdoor furniture items and bags of soil and fertiliser in comfort. In effect, it says ‘welcome to our store, stay as long as you want’.

It goes without saying that such an asset isn’t just restricted to garden centres. Major supermarkets often feature covered walkways in their design, sometimes right outside the store and sometimes even in the car parks to help users negotiate their way safely to the front entrance. If you have ever waited outside a large supermarket in the past for a bus or a taxi in order to get your groceries home, you will know how unpleasant it can be if the wind is howling and the heavy rain is starting to fall.

Large do it yourself stores, especially those out of town megastores that we all use on a regular basis, also play host to a walkway or two in some cases. In general, shopping in the United Kingdom has changed dramatically in recent times, with more and more shop designers and owners working hard to provide the ideal customer experience. In their eyes, of course, the ideal customer experience is one that makes people come back over and over again. Because of this, the use of a covered walkway can be an important factor in making consumers want to keep returning.

A covered walkway is a boon to travellers

It may not be easy to keep people dry at all times, of course, but when it comes to railway stations, airports and bus terminals it can make a huge difference to the enjoyment of the journey. Covered walkways are a great help for people who have arrived at an airport, for example, and who need to get to the railway station in order to continue their journey. Having spent a few hours on a plane, nestled in a cramped but comfortable cocoon, the last thing you need is a thorough soaking as you try to get to your train.

Needless to say, those who are charged with the design of our stores and public spaces may not be in a position to afford a covered walkway wherever they would like to have them placed. We all know that tight budgets can be a hindrance when looking into the design of just about anything, but you have to strike something of a balance with this complex subject. A walkway may not be cheap – although it is usually cheaper than most people would imagine – but it does bring with it the dual benefits of being both attractive and practical.

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Certainly in the case of covered walkways in garden centres, such an addition would help customers to stay longer in order to browse the various tempting wares that are on sale. This would therefore mean more money will be spent during the experience, resulting in greater revenue and higher profits for the retailer. Perhaps more crucially than that, however, would be the fact that shoppers enjoyed their day, were not inconvenienced by the weather and would as a result be inclined to come back to the same place the next time they wish to buy garden related products.

If you are involved in the design of supermarkets, garden centres, large out of town superstores or even public transport facilities, you will no doubt want to provide the best end user experience. Here in the UK, and indeed in many other countries around the world, the weather can spoil a day with ease, so providing a degree of protection will be very welcome indeed. A covered walkway is the perfect addition to any design, in that it protects the people who use the location and it adds to the attractiveness of the visual design. No wonder so many designers are looking into covered walkways and what they can do.

Can innovative noise barriers reinvent our urban spaces?

As the population of the United Kingdom grows, and our society becomes ever more connected, transport authorities are having to rely on new, innovative ideas such as acoustic barriers to meet the challenges of modern life. As our tired transport networks expand, change and improve, there can often be problems with noise and air pollution that make modern living increasingly difficult. Whilst preserving the well-loved green belts around our busy cities, authorities must consider new places to build roads, houses, hospitals and schools. But noisy, 24-hour motorways and a good night’s rest are often mutually exclusive.

In order to deal with the problems of noise pollution, governments all over the world are turning to sound barriers. Whilst these can be expensive and complicated to install, there are a host of different designs on offer, using a range of different materials like concrete, Perspex and steel to dampen the sound of tyres, tarmac, engines and horns. They can even be used in urban environments, to keep gardens, parks and historic sites peaceful and tranquil. That means that, both in our cities and outside of them, residents can be protected from noise pollution in a range of creative ways.

Well-designed noise barriers can even be used to enhance the aesthetics of roads and urban spaces. Some use insulated windows to provide views of the surrounding countryside and other streets. Other sound barriers are cleverly designed with plenty of evergreen vegetation, which provides a pleasant look while also providing wildlife with a potential habitat. Climbing plants on walls can be an ideal home for birds and insects, and they can also provide insulation from summer heat by protecting the fabric of buildings from ultra-violet light. This can make for a relaxing, tranquil urban environment that everybody can enjoy.

Sometimes called ‘green walls’, there is a downside to these attractive acoustic barriers. They can sometimes require a great deal of maintenance, which may make them unfeasible for authorities whose resources are limited. They can also pose a problem in cities where water is scarce in dry seasons, as they can require complex irrigation systems. Of course, there is also limited space in many of our busiest and most noisy urban areas. In order for the barriers to be effective in reducing decibel levels, they need to be sufficiently tall, wide and long – but planning restrictions can mean that erecting them is impossible.

Redesigning acoustic barriers for the 21^st century

In the past few years, local authorities have introduced a number of innovative schemes to deal with two key problems of modern life – noise pollution and climate change. For example, some road users have seen lines of solar panels spring up alongside dual carriageways and motorways, which are known as Photovoltaic noise barriers. These new designs double up as energy creators and acoustic barriers, shielding nearby residents from the din of traffic. By generating electricity from the sun, they can eventually pay for themselves, and also pump electricity back into the grid. In some instances, the electricity is sold onto local businesses, which has the added benefit of supporting local economies.

Are roadside acoustic barriers the future of the UK’s transport infrastructure? Perhaps not, but the technology is already being used effectively in some European countries like Germany, France and Italy. It was first used alongside a kilometre of a motorway in Switzerland back in 1989. The idea has been heralded as ground-breaking, praised for improving the quality of life of roadside residents whilst making use of available space to combat energy shortages. If used to their maximum capacity, the barriers can help countries towards reaching their targets for CO₂ reductions – this, of course, makes governments more popular with environmental groups.

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Whilst Photovoltaic (solar panel) barriers can eventually pay for themselves with the energy they produce, they can be costly to introduce. Furthermore, they are only appropriate in areas where there is sufficient exposure to sunlight throughout the year - if the area is dark and rainy for most of the year, solar panels will have limited benefits. And, of course, it is much less costly to introduce solar panels to noise barriers that already exist, rather than building new ones from scratch. Some cheaper materials can be used for a low-cost investment, but these may be less efficient and have a lower life expectancy than more expensive materials.

It is, therefore, up to local authorities and governments to decide how to best use sound barriers to benefit local communities, and the country more generally. What is certain is that as our population grows, our road networks expand and our railways become more connected, Britain could become a far noisier place for residents. Up and down the country, more and more people are travelling and moving around - both for work and for pleasure. Not only does that make a good night’s sleep more difficult, but it could mean that our schools, offices, hospitals and shops are less peaceful and less pleasant places to be.

Improve your Business with Help from Manufacturers in China for the UK

Times are changing for manufacturers in China for the UK. Having a great idea is never enough in the world of business these days, because you have to bring that idea to fruition in order to make it a success. There have been so many tales of frustration and failure over the years from would-be entrepreneurs. In many cases, they placed all of their focus on developing a concept into a prototype without really thinking about the practicalities of the manufacturing process. The product itself was often a superb one, but it couldn’t be produced in sufficient quantities and at a reasonable price, and was therefore totally unsuitable for the mass market.

Needless to say, by the time it was ready to go on sale, it was already fighting a losing battle. The answer for many start-ups is to look further afield when making the switch from the drawing board to reality. The cheaper cost of manufacturing in China for the UK means it’s often far better to have products made in the Far East and then shipping them to other destinations around the world. It may seem like an expensive process but in truth it really isn’t. Over the years, manufacturing companies in China for the UK have been able to hone production techniques almost to an art form, making them extremely cost-effective.

Manufacturing Companies in China for the UK are ready and waiting

After several years of economic downturn, the markets around the world appear to be on the rise once again. The recession caused major problems in just about every sector of industry, but things are definitely starting to look up once again. A number of high profile manufacturers in China for the UK were affected by the reduction in orders, of course, but on the whole this area has remained strong and profitable. In the coming months and years, their patience is expected to be rewarded by an upturn in sales.

If you are a potential entrepreneur and you think you have a good idea that could be developed into a successful product, you will obviously want to bring it to market in the most effective way. That’s why you need to look into the plus and minus points of manufacturing in China for the UK. You may have wondered in the past whether the shipping costs would make this option prohibitive, but in truth it would still usually prove cheaper than using home-based providers. The world of business has changed so much over the years, and it continues to evolve.