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WebShadePRO boosting Shade businesses
November 2008
This month WebShadePRO will be two years old and its shade industry clients are reaping the benefits of using the software. The managing directors of three prominent shade companies were asked how having the software impacted on their businesses and responded as follows:
"Our company has been using WebshadePRO for nearly a year now and the results have been outstanding - our sales closure rates have improved from 35% to 70% and our turnover has increased 45%, principally because we are using WebShade. It has given us a huge advantage over our competitors and we have only scratched the surface".
Graham McIntosh, Managing Director, Romac Shade Sails and Structures.
"Since we acquired WebshadePRO in 2007, we have included shadow projections in most of our commercial project submissions to enhance the presentation made to potential clients. Webshade enables us to demonstrate the shade effectiveness of our designs on any given day and time throughout the year."
Tony Young, Managing Director, Advanced Shade and Sails Pty Ltd.
"Congratulations on WebShadePRO - It's a delight to use".
Andy Mcleod, Shade Australia Pty Ltd.
Canadians using smart Aussie technology to prevent skin cancer
October 2008
The Canadian city of Toronto has identified shade as an essential component in the design of outdoor spaces and is committed to ensuring that children and other park users are provided with sun-safe, supportive environments. The City Council has formed a Shade Policy Committee and has begun a pilot program of Shade Audits in eight of its parks to identify locations of high UV radiation risk and prioritise them.
Data on each of the eight sites will be collected and assessed by a project team from Ryerson University. The team will be trained in Shade Audit procedures and will use WebShade software to assess the parks and develop a UV risk profile of each site.
The project will involve extensive community consultation and knowledge gained from the pilot will serve as a basis for conducting Shade Audits for all of Toronto's playgrounds, parks and aquatic recreation areas.
Suncorp (and WebShade) shading Queensland schools
Aug 2008
Students at Brisbane's Wondall Heights State School have won a $12,000 tree planting day and a visit from rugby league legend Shane Webcke for a film they produced about physical activity. Mr Webcke joined Education and Training Minister Rod Welford for the tree planting day which will create a new row of shade near the school's tennis and basketball courts to shield spectators from the sun.
The tree planting day was part of a prize package awarded to the school for being named the Encouragement Award winner of the Suncorp SunWise Smart Moves Challenge. The prize, provided by Suncorp, included a WebShade Shade Audit which identified the best location for the 25 new shade trees after assessing the school's need for additional sun protection.
The Smart Moves Challenge encourages students to become active and healthy. The initiative requires state school students to participate in at least 30 minutes of daily physical activity in primary school and a minimum of two hours a week in secondary school.
SunWise's Smart Moves Challenge supports the Queensland Government's Toward Q2 target to cut obesity and unsafe sun exposure by one third by 2020.
Students at Wondall Heights State School planting trees with league great, Shane Webcke.
WebShade in Shade Audit study of NZ schools
July 2008
In May the Health Sponsorship Council engaged WebShade to undertake a study of shade issues in eight NZ schools. The project involved Shade Audits of each school to determine if the amount and quality of shade was adequate to provide students with effective protection from UV radiation.
The project report was completed in July with key findings as follows:
- Students in all eight schools were unnecessarily exposed to high UVR levels during summer.
- Identifying which activities expose students to the risk of harmful exposure to UV radiation and the planning of effective shade are beyond the expertise currently available within schools.
- In all schools, the Shade Audits identified a number of low cost strategies to reduce harmful exposure to UVR.
- Three quarters (6) of the schools had earlier experienced failed shade projects.
- All schools reported that the Shade Audit process enabled them to identify their risk of harmful exposure to UV radiation, and provided them with the knowledge necessary to develop appropriate solutions and to better manage their resources.
- The report concluded that a national programme to undertake Shade Audits in schools would be a significant step towards achieving safer outdoor environments for NZ students and would cost-effective.
For a copy of the report, Contact Us
WebShade appoints NZ Shade Auditor
May 2008
WebShade has appointed Shade Audit Ltd of Auckland to undertake Shade Audits in New Zealand using the innovative WebShade software.
Andrew Turner of Shade Audit Ltd said "Using the WebShade software provides us with a fantastic opportunity to deliver a professional and beneficial Shade Audit service to communities across New Zealand".
Shade Audit Ltd staff have been trained in the use of the WebShade software and assisted in the Shade Audit study of 8 schools, currently underway in NZ. Andrew is already using WebShade on several projects and would be happy to discuss the Shade Audit service being provided by his company. He can be contacted on 021 983 488.
WebShade Features at ACASPA Expo 2007 Adelaide
3 June 2007
The WebShade stand at the ACASPA Expo 2007 held 26-28 May 2007 was overwhelmed with interest by suppliers and fabricators in the new release of the WebShadePro product.
John Greenwood, Managing Director of WebShade said that attendees were very impressed with WebShadePro's ability to accurately project shade outcomes for their shade designs before they were even built. John said that many of the attendees also commented that they believed that they could increase the amount of shade cloth sold on jobs, simply by working with the client to design better shade outcomes.
WebShade offered a 25% discount on the WebShadePro product to Expo 2007 attendees up until 30th June 2007.
For more information, Contact Us
WebShade solutions for NSW Councils
April 2007
In October 2006, the Cancer Council NSW + WebShade began a series of interactive shade planning workshops for planners in local government called 'Shade Solutions'. To date workshops have been conducted in nine locations throughout NSW with 47 councils attending. The series will conclude in August with workshops in Western and South Western regions.
Of the 73 people who attended the workshops, the overwhelming majority found them to be a positive and useful experience. Likewise the WebShade software was rated highly - 94% agreeing it was a useful and effective tool for learning and planning shade -
...very informative
...program is very user friendly
...great product
...glad to see it was developed.
Each participating council received a free software trial and WebShade is currently in discussion with several councils who have expressed interest in purchasing the software.
Child care centres find it easy to get shadier
January 2007
Between October and December 2006 four NSW child care centres experienced WebShade first hand. Each centre installed the software and did a WebShade Audit for their outdoor areas.
The trial was sponsored by the NSW Cancer Council and the purpose was to determine if the staff could use WebShade to create more sun safe environments. They took on the job with no training or little technical support and produced very positive results.
All centres found the software relatively easy to very usable.
Even more importantly they found that the WebShade Audit process was valuable.
...glad I now have concrete evidence of how much shade
is available at different times of the year.
They confirmed significant benefits in using WebShade to plan the use of outdoor spaces.
I can definitely see a need for WebShade in a lot of child care centres as I know from experience that some centres still do not focus enough attention on sun protection issues.
NZ software trial a great success:
"It is exciting" says teacher
June 2006
WebShade has recently completed a highly successful trial of the software in New Zealand schools and councils. Conducted in collaboration with the NZ Cancer Society and the Health Sponsorship Council, the trial involved seven schools and four councils.
The principal aims were to determine if schools and councils were able to use the software and if it was helpful in determining effective shade outcomes. The unanimous response from all locations was a definitive 'Yes!' to both questions.
Said one teacher ." I see really exciting learning opportunities that come out of a project like this because it is authentic learning. It's solving real life problems and using smart technology."
A range of useful comments were received, which will considerably assist the design team to 'fine-tune' the software and further increase functionality.
Public health specialists Quigley + Watts assessed the trial results.
Trial Evaluation Report (PDF)
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