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Landscaping designed for the purpose of conserving energy is often referred to as energy efficient landscaping. An energy efficient landscape can provide not only a beautiful environment around your home but can also reduce heating and cooling costs. The basic principles of energy efficient landscaping are;
- to keep the sun out (in summer);
- to form a wind break; and
- to keep the cool or heat in Below some of the common design techniques used in energy efficient landscaping: Shade
Heat from the sun can be absorbed through windows, the roof and walls of a house which in turn can lead to increased air conditioner usage. By including shading design techniques into your landscape design you can reduce the solar heat gain, and thus reduce your air-conditioning usage and costs.
Techniques used include the planting of trees for the purpose of providing shade onto the house and constructing green roofs to cool buildings with extra thermal mass and evapo-transpiration. Evapo-transpiration is the process by which a plant actively moves and releases water vapor. Windbreaks
The primary purpose of wind breaks around your home is to help reduce heat loss and thus reduce heating costs. Windbreaks are often created with shrubs or vines planted in such a way as to protect walls from wind. Another design concept is ‘Earth sheltering’ which positions a building to take advantage of natural landforms as windbreaks. Water conservation
Conserve water along with energy for a more sustainable landscape. Other Techniques
Site lighting with full cut off fixtures, light level sensors, and high efficiency fixtures
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