URBAN
Urban synthetic turf
ARTICLE: Excerpts from "Urban Grass is a solution to urban densification"
Before I go any further I wish to state my position on synthetic grass; I am pro natural turf and will always promote this as my preferred surface type. I am however aware of natural turfs limitations in particular regarding high levels of use and the negative impact this can have on the ability to provide a safe playing surface all year round. People from older generations will always say they played on grounds that were rock hard in summer and a quagmire in winter. Unfortunately, their parents were more accepting of this and less litigious when little Johnny injured himself on a non-fit for purpose natural turf surface.
How artificial grass helps to address urban densification
Urban densification not only negatively impacts our transport networks, it also places some of our existing Fields of Play under unsustainable stress and strain. We have enabled urban densification to occur and therefore more and more people are living in homes with small to no backyards and they rely on Council sports grounds for their kids to be active outdoors.
Inner city councils generally cannot find large parcels of unused land to construct additional sport fields to meet the demand caused by densification. In many cases the use of synthetic grass is a means to meet this demand. If you ask most of the sport governing bodies, in particular AFL and soccer, they are still not meeting these demands due to population growth and densification and kids specifically are being turned away as there are not enough grounds to play on.
Synthetic grass helps to address the demand issues caused by urban densification. It allows kids and adults to stay physically active which has flow on benefits to their mental health. There is no equivalent alternative to synthetic grass. It’s durability more than doubles that of natural and/or hybrid turf.
Scientific reports not conclusive on synthetic turf health issues
Australia is not the only country that has raised concerns relating to the use of synthetic grass. There are many scientific reports that have concluded that synthetic grasses do not lead to any health issues. Appropriate designs and maintenance regimes can help to mitigate microplastic displacement from the surface and protect downstream waterways.
If you have assessed your natural turf sports ground and determined that even with a better performing growing medium and more efficient drainage and irrigation network it cannot meet the demands of the users then, short of telling the community they cannot be active, synthetic grass is your only option.
See full article: (1) Synthetic grass is a solution to urban densification | LinkedIn
Businesses
Because of its growing popularity, many people are turning to synthetic turf to transform more than just their lawns.
There is definitely an upward trend of installations in schools, playgrounds, public spaces, commercial roof gardens, sports pitches and of course, businesses.
The concept of indoor faux grass is catching on as people who have mostly associated fake grass with outdoors, are realising its creative potential indoors and to top it all, are also realising how easy and cost-effective it is to install and most of the time, unlike outdoors, there is very little preparation involved. After all, it’s not really different to a carpet except that it is a lot more forgiving in terms of durability and maintenance.
So, let’s have a look at the benefits.
8 Good reasons to install artificial grass in your office
1. Impressive first Impression
Indoor artificial turf really looks great and first impressions are everything so it’s important to make sure your company image leaves a positive long-lasting impression on visitors who could be existing customers, potential customers or even your bank manager.
It also creates a great talking point about your business because it is a bit out of the norm in a positive way.
Customers that enjoy spending time in your offices can only be good for business and you can be rest assured, they will talk about it.
2. The colour green creates a relaxing and productive work environment
Studies have shown that colour affects a person’s mood and performance, which influencing factor has been used in interior design for some time.
For example, warm colours, such as reds, yellows and browns, can stimulate feelings of warmth and comfort, but can also make us feel hostile or angry.
Cool colours, such as those on the blue end of the spectrum, may help us to feel calm but can also induce feelings of sadness or indifference.
Because colour can have such a profound effect on our mood and work performance, it’s certainly not something that should be taken lightly by business owners and office managers when thinking about the use of colour in the office environment.
The colour green has been shown to help people relax as it is naturally associated with the green outdoors and nature, renewal and growth. It’s the colour of spring when nature comes to life, and it’s the reason we feel so great being outdoors.
This calm and relaxed state of mind can help increase productivity.
But it’s not just the colour of artificial grass that has these effects but also the stylish softness it portrays.
So, one way of looking at it is that by investing in artificial grass for your office, you are actually investing in having happier, more productive staff which will reflect very positively on your bottom line.
3. It Provides a Non-slip Flooring Surface
The safety of your employees should be a top priority when planning an office.
If your office is an unsafe environment for your employees to work in, you may find yourself on the wrong end of a lawsuit.
Artificial grass creates an excellent, non-slip surface that can be used to cover a wide variety of flooring types, such as carpet tiles, ceramic tiles and wooden flooring.
4. An Installation can be Temporary or Permanent
Artificial grass can be installed in an office either on a permanent basis or as a temporary measure.
For example, you might want to have artificial grass installed for a special meeting, or a seminar or social event.
It will be sure to impress employees and make for an excellent talking point.
Temporary installations of synthetic turf are really as easy as just rolling out a carpet.
It can then be rolled back again at the end of the event.
However, if you are considering a more permanent installation, you might want to enlist the help of a professional installer.
They will advise you on how best to install fake grass in an office environment.
A professional installer will also be able to help you choose the best faux grass for the job, as some types of grass will perform better than others.
You should never choose an artificial grass based on aesthetics alone.
5. It is fire resistance compliant
Most good quality artificial grass available today is fire-resistant.
This means that should the worst happen, fire will not spread via any artificial grass that you have installed in the office.
Of course, it’s always extremely important before choosing to have artificial grass installed that you check for independent testing to ensure that your chosen fake turf has been classified in terms of your local authorities specifications.
As long as it does, installing artificial grass in your office will make for an excellent and safe choice.
6. It’s an Effective Way to Promote Your Business
Artificial grass can be a marketing tool as it creates an excellent talking point amongst existing and potential customers especially if your beautiful indoor faux turf gets a mention for its uniqueness in an office environment in your local press. You may even consider inviting the media to come and have a look see. You never know.
Well known Fruit Towers in the UK, head office of Innocent, the smoothie makers, is famous for having artificial grass installed for its employees. Have a look at this this article in the Evening Standard and hear what they say about artificial grass in an office environment and how Innocent cares about their employees by creating the best working environment they can.
7. It's relaxing in the canteen or any interactive space
The staff canteen or any interactive space is perfect for fake grass.
Many people spend their lunch breaks in the staff canteen and it’s very important for staff to use this time to revitalise and be ready for the afternoon shift.
Helping them to relax by creating a calm environment will certainly be conducive to this.
8.It's great for rooftop gardens
Again, like canteens, rooftop areas are hotspots during break times, particularly during the summer months.
Staff should be encouraged to spend time outside during their lunch hour as the fresh air will invigorate them, ready for a productive afternoon.
Artificial grass can transform dull concrete and tarmac into usable areas for your staff to make the most of and it’s sure to boost morale.
Courtesy https://neograss.co.uk/
Thanks for some great insight.
Gyms
10 Reasons to use artificial grass in a gym
Synthetic turf in Gyms works well as they are very unique spaces in the sense that they require an intelligent design process to make them as practical and functional as possible. To some extent, you could simply get some exercise equipment, put it in a room and call it a gym, but whether you are creating a home gym or a commercial one, for many that simply won’t be adequate.
There are a host of other considerations to keep in mind when putting together a workout space – from lighting and equipment layout to temperature and ventilation. In this guide, we want to talk about flooring options – in particular, artificial grass for gyms.
Here are some of the major advantages of artificial turf you should keep in mind when creating your own home or commercial gym.
Fast Installation
Firstly, synthetic turf is quick and easy to install if you have the experience and knowledge. If you’re looking to create your workout space quickly and efficiently, then artificial grass is a great high-speed choice.
Made using a combination of durable plastic memory fibres sewn into a carpet-style backing, artificial grass can be laid similarly to traditional carpet – in rolls with jointing tape and adhesive to create a seamless finish. The main consideration to take note of is ensuring a consistent direction for the grass so that it is uniform in finish.
Customer Engagement
For commercial gyms, artificial grass doesn’t just offer a practical flooring solution but a profitable one too. There are a few key factors that gym-goers consider when deciding what gym to join – price, services, amenities and atmosphere. Whilst price, services and amenities tend to be intertwined and self-explanatory, the atmosphere can be much harder to grasp or improve.
Each gym has a target audience, whether it’s the casual exerciser, the weightlifter, the boxer or something different. Each audience is enticed by a slightly different workout environment, with boxers and professionals preferring a more serious space compared to casual exercisers. Artificial grass is an unconventional and quirky flooring option which is incredibly versatile and accessible, appealing to the masses and adding a relaxed element to the gym’s ambience. Perfect for non-specialist workout establishments.
Easy Maintenance
A clean and tidy environment is essential for gym success. Not only does an orderly space help ensure everyone can find and use the equipment they’d like to, but it also helps maintain health and safety which is obviously fundamental. Building further on this, marks and stains in a commercial gym environment are sure to put off potential customers. Whilst everyone knows that gyms are naturally sweaty and a little dirty, the truth is, they don’t want to see it – which is why it’s important to pick a flooring option which hides these blemishes.
Artificial grass is extremely easy to clean and maintain, all you need to do is manually remove the larger debris and give the surface a quick brush afterwards. Other than these steps, synthetic grass can be left for years and still look spotless.
Durability
One of the most prominent advantages of artificial grass gym flooring is its innate durability thus ensuring a long-term investment in your gym that will last years to come.
Grip and Friction
The memory fibers that make up modern artificial grass are expertly designed to offer a combination of realism, natural variation and grip. Non-slip but still easy to travel over and use, faux grass offers many of the advantages that traditional rubber gym flooring provide whilst maintaining versatility and attractiveness.
Shock-Absorbent
Artificial grass offers a natural ‘give’, absorbing energy during falls and offering an easy method of reducing impact injuries. This is made more effective when the artificial grass is installed with a shock absorbent underlay, offering up to 35mm of additional energy dissolving rubber underneath the grass surface. A great choice for bodyweight exercise spaces where falls can be common.
Speed Sled Suitable
Speed sleds are a popular workout item, offering a range of different exercise opportunities for a range of muscle groups. In particular, speed sleds are great for sports-focused gyms, where athletes want to develop speed, acceleration, lower body strength and endurance. However, due to the nature of speed sled design, many gyms have to invest in specialist flooring to cater to them, as traditional rubber mats do not permit smooth motion.
Artificial grass is a great choice in this dilemma, offering free motion for speed sled usage whilst also being strong enough and safe enough to remain practical throughout the rest of the gym environment.
Hypo-allergenic
Made of plastic and easy to clean, artificial grass is hypo-allergenic and will help avoid lots of sneezing in the gym. This is a major point for improving customer experience and keeping them coming back; or, in a home gym, for making sure that you don’t find yourself becoming sick every time you workout. Note that hypo-allergenic flooring is particularly essential in spaces where gym users are likely to be on or close to the floor, such floors as mat zones.
Aesthetically Attractive
Synthetic turf is also a worthwhile addition to the gym environment because it always looks good. Artificial grass for gyms is great at separating areas from one another, creating pristine, clean-cut lines and boundaries that remain durable after months or years of continual use. As mentioned previously, this is further assisted by the way that artificial turf hides marks and how easy it is to clean.
Can Be Both Temporary and Permanent
Finally, you aren’t caged into a specific choice for your gym when it comes to artificial grass. If you only want to use your synthetic turf during the summer months, it’s easy to roll up and move to a storage area for the rest of the year. Similarly, if you find it is popular, a permanent installation is quick and easy – it all depends on your gym’s purpose, user-base and goals.
With these points in mind, it’s clear that artificial turf has potential as a gym flooring solution.
Courtesy Artificiallawn.co.uk .Thanks for the great insight guys.
Hotels & Restaurants
Benefits of artificial grass for the hospitality industry
Artificial grass is used for a variety of domestic applications such as lawns, play areas and sports surfaces, but recently there has been a massive upsurge of it’s popularity in Hotels, Restaurants and other hospitality related businesses in the industry.
Hotels, restaurants and bars should be tidy, fresh and welcoming to entice customers in. Invariably these places will have outside spaces at theirs entrances which will be the customer’s first point of contact with the venue. If these areas are untidy, unclean or unkept this will discourage them.
Synthetic grass is therefore an ideal solution for keeping these outdoor areas tidy, clean, welcoming and green as well as reducing maintenance costs in the long run as upkeep is minimal.
Areas lawned with real turf are difficult and costly to maintain but by replacing the lawn with artificial turf you will achieve the same aesthetic effect with the pros far outweighing the cons and these areas will look spectacular all year round.
This solution is also effective for bars and restaurants with outdoor seating. As smoking is only allowed outside, most bars and restaurants provide an outdoor smoking area as well as outdoor seating for non smokers. These areas can be brought to life with some artificial grass, a few trees and maybe some fairy lights which could magically transform an otherwise dull area into something special and inviting.
Apart from all the outside benefits, synthetic turf is now extensively being used indoors by designers with stunning effect because of it versality, durability and ability to look good anywhere.
Browse our section on artificial grass in businesses for some inspiration of what it could look like in your venue.
Playgrounds & Schools
There’s nothing like fresh air and the great outdoors to inspire active fun. That’s true for kids, adults and furry family members alike. Part of making outdoor activity so much fun is having a clean, enjoyable place to do it. Synthetic turf for playgrounds, dog parks and recreation areas offer many benefits to everyone who enjoys those areas. Artificial grass is worth considering if you’re looking for a new way to cover recreational surfaces with a long-lasting product.
13 Benefits of using synthetic turf for playgrounds and schools
- Soft, Compliant Surface Under Play Equipment
- Fewer Scraped Knees
- Accessibility for All People
- Cleaner Play environment
- Reduced maintenance Work
- Lower Maintenance cost
- Material Durability
- Resistance to weather Elements
- Aesthetically pleasing with a Natural Look and Feel
- Customization Options
- Environmentally Friendly
- Exceptional Drainage
- No Holes or Worn Areas