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Sun protection: the RACINE project’s coconut-fiber shade structures to keep schools cool

Our shade sails at the heart of the RACINE project to adapt schools to intense heat

 

In recent months, the question of sun protection has become essential. With the increase in intense heatwaves, local authorities are looking for new solutions to improve the thermal comfort of buildings and outdoor spaces, particularly in schools where children are especially exposed.

Faced with these new climate challenges, the RACINE project, launched in Grabels in the Hérault region, is testing various simple, accessible, and low-energy solutions to help schools better cope with heatwave periods.

Among the facilities being tested are our coco shade sails for schools, designed as a natural solution for outdoor sun protection. Thanks to their coconut fiber structure, they create shaded areas that are more comfortable and better suited to periods of intense heat.

This innovative project has generated genuine media interest. Our shade sails have notably been featured in several reports and content broadcast by various media outlets, including France 3, Brut, as well as in multiple press coverage focusing on solutions implemented to adapt schools to intense heat.

This recognition illustrates a strong conviction: shading solutions are not only meant for private terraces or leisure spaces. They can also contribute to creating more comfortable, pleasant places that are better adapted to climate change.

 

The RACINE project: testing concrete solutions against intense heat in schools

An adaptation approach to address new climate challenges

The RACINE program (“Research on Adaptation to Heatwaves Inside Our Schools”) aims to study various solutions to improve the thermal comfort of schools during periods of intense heat.

The objective is simple: to identify effective, easy-to-implement adjustments that limit the systematic use of energy-intensive equipment such as air conditioning.

The project explores several avenues: improving natural ventilation, greening, redeveloping outdoor spaces, and installing sun protection devices tailored to the needs of schools.

In Grabels, in the Hérault region, these various actions have yielded significant results, with up to a 7°C difference in perceived temperature in certain situations. In total, 15 other schools are also participating in this experiment to evaluate solutions that can be replicated in other establishments.

Shade structures for schools and local authorities facing climate challenges

With heatwaves becoming more frequent, local authorities are now seeking concrete solutions to adapt their outdoor spaces.

Schoolyards, playgrounds, municipal parks, and waiting areas are particularly affected: highly exposed to the sun, they can quickly become uncomfortable during summer periods.

Installing a school shade structure creates a dedicated shaded area for children and users while enhancing existing outdoor spaces.

Community shade sails must meet several challenges: shading efficiency, resistance to outdoor conditions, landscape integration, and consistency with environmental approaches undertaken by the regions.

Made from natural coconut fiber, our shade structures offer an aesthetic alternative to traditional solutions, bringing a true identity to the equipped locations.

The coco shade sail: a natural sun protection solution

Coconut fiber, a material with recognized qualities

Made from woven coconut fibers, our shade sails stand out for their natural appearance and warm aesthetic.

The coconut fiber shade sails easily integrates into various environments: schoolyards, public spaces, gardens, professional terraces, or places welcoming the public.

The specific structure of the weave allows for the creation of a shaded area while maintaining natural air circulation. This feature is particularly valuable in outdoor spaces where the objective is to bring more comfort without creating a confined effect.

Unlike classic solutions, the coco shade sail also adds a strong aesthetic dimension. Its natural appearance allows for the design of more welcoming spaces, in line with current sustainable development initiatives.

A tailored response for local authorities and public spaces

Today, local authorities must rethink their layouts in the face of increasingly frequent heatwaves. Schools, nurseries, parks, and leisure spaces are particularly concerned.

Installing an appropriate outdoor sun protection helps improve user comfort while enhancing existing spaces.

Coconut fiber shade sails thus constitute a natural alternative for creating long-lasting shaded zones, while maintaining an aesthetic and environmentally friendly approach.

Natural shading solutions to accompany the cities of tomorrow

The RACINE project demonstrates that concrete solutions exist today to adapt buildings and outdoor spaces to new climate constraints.

Installing a coco shade sail in a school does not only address an immediate comfort issue. It also takes part in a more global reflection on the sustainable city, climate resilience, and the quality of living spaces.

At Les Ombrières de Provence, we are convinced that natural materials have an essential role to play in these new practices.

The RACINE project highlights a new way of thinking about sun protection: less energy-consuming, more integrated into its environment, and adapted to users’ needs.

From schoolyards to public spaces, sun protection shade structures offer a sustainable solution to create more coolness and comfort, while bringing a true identity to the spaces they equip.

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