Landscaping for Energy Efficiency

Each year, the onset of spring beckons us to the nurseries in search of bright colors to cheer our yards and flower beds. Before heading out this year, Idaho Power suggests you take a moment and look for other planting opportunities…….ones that will pay not only dividends in beauty but in cash savings. A well-landscaped yard increases your home’s value and can save up to 30% on heating and cooling costs.

Plants absorb the sun’s heat during the day and create cooler microclimates by using the heat to evaporate water, thus cooling daytime temperatures.
When combined with shade, air temperatures near trees can drop as much as 9° F.
Because cool air settles near the ground, air temperatures directly under trees can be as much as 25° F. cooler than air temperatures above nearby blacktop!
And summer daytime temperatures are 3°- 6° F cooler in tree-shaded neighborhoods than treeless areas.
Tree Tips:
Plant deciduous trees on the south and west sides of your home…..they’ll provide shade in the summer and won’t block the winter sun.
Plant trees with the highest leafy crowns on the south side and lower crowns on the west
Evergreens are best used on the north and east sides and can be part of an effective windbreak
Vines are an inexpensive way to provide quick and effective shade.

Create dead air spaces around your home that insulate your home both winter and summer. Do this by planting shrubs, bushes, and vines next to your house, leaving a one foot space between full-grown plants and your home’s wall.

And lastly, although keeping your air conditioning unit shaded may provide a small efficiency gain, it is perhaps more important to provide enough airflow so that the hot air emitted from the condenser can flow away from the unit easily. Some recommend at least two feet of clearance all around the equipment and at least five feet above it.

Always remember safety comes first. Pay attention to power lines. Avoid the danger of accidentally cutting into underground power lines or other utility cables by notifying Idaho Power before you dig.

For more information and landscaping tips, visit Idaho Power’s booth at the Boise Home and Garden Show this weekend at Expo Idaho.