Friday, February 20, 2004

 

Plant Trees to lower your heating costs

A period of cold weather is a good time to consider the effect landscapingcan have on energy use inside your home.
It has been extimated that carefully planted trees can lower your annual heating and cooling costs by up to 25 percent.
From an energy standpoint, landscaping helps provide much needed shade in summer and a channel for breezes and warmth in winter.
Trees with high spreading leaves and branches work well on the Southside of a home because they will protect the house in summer when the sun is at its highest point. To get the most out of the sun's benefits in winter, plant trees that lose their leaves so they allow the warmth into the home when you want it.
Trees with their fullest crowns closer to the ground are best suited for the west side of the Home to help block the afternoon sun., which is lower in the sky.
Studies have shown that landscaping can lower summer cooling costs by as much as 50%
The U.S. Department of Energy reports that a study in S. Dakota found that windbreaks (including trees, fences and other objects) on the north, west and east sides of a home reduced fuel comsumption in winter by an average of 40%. Putting in windbreaks on just the windward side of the house can lower fuel consumption by 25%.
Department of Energy computer models have estimated that planting three trees
in the right places around a home can lower energy costs by as much as $250 each year. In fact, a good landscape can save enough energy to pay back the initual investment in less than eight years.
If you're planning on building a home, work closely with your builder on the orientation of your home and its siting on the lot. Your home's exposure to the wind, sun, water and other geographical features can have a big effect on its energy use. Builders need to consider a whole host of factors in laying out a home's site, from the features of the lot itself to the location of major glass areas in the home's design to work with the site.
Landscaping is an effective tool for lowering energy costs in hot and cold weather while adding to the appearance and value of your home, and you don't have to spend a lot of money. And as trees and shrubs grow over time, the shade they give and their effectiveness in blocking and channeling winds gets better.

Articel by Ken Sheinkoph is associate director for the Florida Solar Energy Center in Cocoa, Fla. For more information on energy efficiency and renewable energy, visit the center's Web site at
www.fsec.ucf.edu..

posted by Marieva 1:34 PM