How Do Trees Grow To Protect Energy?
The placement of trees is significant to get all the benefits. The sequence of plantations maximizes their usefulness. You need to place trees at least 15-20 feet from the house to receive the proper dense shade. Small trees can be grown nearer than 15 feet, but big trees require more space to grow. Hence plant them 20 feet or more from your house.
Windbreaks will reduce wind speed to the extent of as much as 30 times their length. You should plant the windbreak a distance from your house of two to five times the height of fully grown-up trees for utmost protection.
Proper Landscaping For Energy Efficiency
Strategically located trees reduce energy use for cooling and heating by max to 25%. In summer, a home’s cooling cost can be curtailed from 15-50 percent, utilizing a well-planned landscape, based on research by the Lawrence Berkeley National laboratory of DOE. Houses with windbreak placed on the windward angle decreased heating energy use by 25%, related to unarmed homes, based on a study of South Dakota. Trees serve an environmental advantage; for every acre of trees, up to 2.6 tons of carbon dioxide is eliminated each year.
What Types Of Trees To Plant?
Choose trees that are native to your area and are hardy for the climatic conditions that region has. For instance, North Carolina lies in the temperate region of the U.S.; you should consider planting shade trees. You should also choose between deciduous or evergreen trees. As discussed earlier in this article, deciduous trees give full shade and protection against the sun in summers. However, loose leaves in winter allow full sunlight; whereas, evergreen trees like the Coniferous, Blue Spruce, Jack Pine, White Fir, Southern Live Oak, Mountain Hemlock, etc., remain lush green all year.
Given underneath is a list of shade trees that you may consider:
- Crepe Myrtle
- American Hornbeam
- Flowering Dogwood
- Chinese Elm
- Japanese Zelkova
- Red Maple
- Ginkgo
- Sugar Maple
- White Oak
- Littleleaf Linden
Conclusion
Planting shade trees and evergreen trees in a strategic position and proper landscaping is beneficial in reducing the house’s energy consumption and energy bill. These trees are also helpful in purifying the air quality in and around your locality and offset the carbon footprint.
