From entrances and covered walkways to shelters and enclosed passageways, commercial canopies create protected, functional spaces that make buildings more welcoming and accessible. The right canopy system can provide protection from the elements while supporting daylight, visibility, and architectural design goals.
Let’s take a closer look at what VELUX Commercial Canopies are and how they support commercial design goals.
VELUX Commercial Horizon Series Canopies are translucent canopy systems constructed with multiwall polycarbonate panels. As easy to install as they are aesthetically pleasing, these daylighting solutions are available in various panel colors and configurations.
Commercial canopies can be used across a wide range of building applications, including entrances, covered walkways, shelters, and enclosed passageways. They help create protected, functional spaces that support daily traffic flow while contributing to the overall design and performance of the building. Ideal applications include:
Canopies can support high-traffic transportation environments by providing covered areas for entrances, drop-off zones, waiting areas, and pedestrian walkways.
Schools, universities, and campuses can use canopies to create protected walkways, covered entrances, outdoor gathering areas, and transitions between buildings.
Hospitals, clinics, and medical campuses can benefit from canopies at main entrances, patient drop-off areas, emergency access points, and covered pedestrian routes.
Canopies can enhance arrival areas, guest entrances, event spaces, covered walkways, and outdoor gathering zones.
Retail centers can use canopies to create more comfortable entrances, storefront walkways, pickup areas, and covered pedestrian paths.
Ideal for shelters, entrances, and covered or enclosed walkways, the Horizon C Series is a polycarbonate panel system that provides an economical solution to any custom low-slope canopy design. These lightweight, impact-resistant, UV-protected polycarbonate panels are available in lengths up to 39" and with self-supporting aluminum framing systems. For a clean look, there are no exposed fasteners, gaskets, sealants, or horizontal joints; and fixed sills, adjustable sills, or skin systems are available to help complete your canopy project.
For the toughest canopy system around, look no further than the Horizon M Series. Engineered and reinforced with 3/8" polycarbonate panels, the M-Series Canopy System has up to 250 times the impact strength of glass canopies. Most commonly used in hotels, conference centers, and education and healthcare buildings, M-Series Canopies also feature an extruded aluminum edge guard at the ends and sides (as needed). Incredibly strong and completely customizable, Horizon M-Series Canopies allow for completely unique designs.
VELUX Commercial Canopies are designed to support code-compliant commercial canopy applications, with materials tested for:
Want to see how VELUX Commercial Canopies perform in real-world projects? Check out these case studies featuring the Horizon Series used in two restoration projects.
The challenge: In 2012, Hurricane Sandy wreaked havoc along New York's shores, causing flooding and substantial damage to the Playland Ice Casino. As part of the reconstruction efforts, the Casino's old wooden shingle roof needed to be replaced with a new standing seam metal roof. They also needed a better solution for the rubberized fabric perimeter, which offered very little natural light and was not energy-efficient. The solution? VELUX Commercial Canopies.
The solution: The Horizon C Series
The challenge: In this restoration project, the budget, historic preservation, and natural lighting all posed significant challenges. As a historic property, each new skylight replacement in the Northland Workforce Training Center needed to provide the same appearance and be approved by the New York State Historic Preservation Office and National Park Stations. The durability, versatility, and commitment to code compliance of VELUX Commercial Canopies made them an easy solution.
The solution: The Horizon C Series, Single Pitch and Double Pitch Skylights.
From application and performance to design intent, the right canopy solution depends on your project's details. Tell us about your project, and a member of our Commercial Team will follow up with more detailed recommendations based on your specific needs.