Bin stores

Bin stores effectively tidy up the areas around waste collection points on housing estates and at blocks of flats. The covered, partially enclosed structure protects the containers inside from rain and snow and noticeably improves the overall appearance of the building's immediate surroundings. They are standard, and increasingly required, equipment for new residential developments and comprehensively refurbished estates. Covering a waste collection point is just one of the functions of the structures in the shelters, smoking shelters and pergolas category, alongside cycle shelters, bus shelters and smoking shelters.

Construction in galvanised steel, timber or steel mesh allows the bin store to match the character of the estate, and the structure usually allows separate areas to be set aside for different recycling streams.

The size of a bin store is chosen according to the number and size of the containers it is to hold. When planning, it is worth considering not only current needs but also leaving room for future expansion of the recycling system to include additional waste streams that the local authority or residents' association may not yet collect separately.

The degree of enclosure, from a fully open, well-ventilated shelter to an almost fully enclosed compound with doors, directly affects air circulation inside. Better ventilation limits the build-up of unpleasant odours in summer, whereas a more enclosed structure is more effective at keeping out unauthorised persons and protecting against harsh weather in winter.

The entrance to the bin store should be designed around how it will actually be used. The opening must be wide enough to manoeuvre wheeled containers freely, and for larger structures it is worth considering a separate entrance for residents and a separate, wider access for waste collection crews.

The foundation of a bin store, even for a lightweight steel structure, should provide a stable, level base resistant to settlement. Uneven ground makes it harder to wheel containers smoothly and may eventually cause the whole structure to tilt, particularly in bin stores with a solid roof.

More and more developers treat the bin store as part of a coherent architectural concept for the estate, choosing cladding materials such as timber, trapezoidal sheet metal or composite panels so that the structure blends in with the building façades rather than remaining a random, purely functional addition.

Bin stores that are locked at night are sometimes also fitted with motion-sensor lighting, which improves comfort and safety for residents taking out rubbish after dark while reducing energy consumption compared with lighting that is on all the time.