You know that saying, “Money doesn’t grow on trees”? Well, it’s not entirely true. With the help of Universal Landscaping, your trees (and plants and shrubs, etc.) can start saving you money in no time. How? It’s simple. Universal Landscaping experts can improve the energy efficiency of your landscape design!

Energy Efficiency

Besides curbside value, your landscape can determine how much energy you use for heating and cooling your home. In fact, expertly positioned trees can save up to 25% of average energy consumption! According to computer models designed by the US Department of Energy, that means three expertly positioned trees result in up to $250 savings each year. In other words, well-designed landscapes are worth their investment in energy savings in less than a decade, especially on commercial lots.

In essence, landscape design for energy efficiency is based on regions. The Pacific Northwest is a temperate region meaning landscape design should maximize warming effects and daylight during the winter, and cooling effects and shade during the summer. It should deflect winter winds away from buildings and tunnel summer breezes toward them. Easier said than done but Universal Landscaping is always up for the challenge.

Tree Shade

Tree shade, for example, is the most cost-effective way to lower the cost of cooling a building. During the summer, daytime highs are often up to six degrees cooler in tree-shaded areas compared to non-shaded areas, and well-designed landscapes will maximize this effect by considering height and positioning. In order to shade exterior walls and windows, deciduous shade trees such as oak, maple, or hickory, should be planted to the south and southwest of a building in order to screen summer sun. They should be planted between six and eight feet tall. They will drop their leaves in the winter allowing maximum daylight and, if well-maintained, will even shade roofs from summer sun within five to ten years.

Windbreaks

Windbreaks, on the other hand, are the most cost-effective way to lower the cost of heating a building. Windbreaks composed of thoughtfully selected, placed, and maintained landscaping can reduce wind speed in its surrounding environment by a distance as much as 30 times its height. Evergreen trees and shrubs planted to the north and northwest of a building are the most common type of windbreak because this combination of trees and shrubs planted together effectively blocks wind from the ground to the treetops. This protects microclimates around buildings from drastic changes, which lowers heating costs.

See? Money really does grow on trees! Contact Universal Landscaping to learn more.