With all the talk of alternative energy sources, we tend to neglect a very simple, cost effective solution to reduce our energy consumption. Landscaping. A lot of people take this for granted, but you can have it work for you to reduce heating and coolings costs by as much as 25% (I read in a source that it can reduce heating by up to 40%, but that seems high to me). Establish tree and shrub windbreaks along the northwest corner of your lot. I did this last year so the plantings are not yet grown in enough to report a savings. But, you can use this as a multi-purpose. Plant the largest specimens in the back, shorter specimens in front of those and the shortest in the very front. By arranging them in such a fashion, you'll not only save energy, the root systems will retain soil structure and prevent erosion (if that's needed). If you select native specimens that bear fruit or nuts, you'll be providing food for wildlife on a year 'round basis. You can also select host plants for butterflies on which they'll lay eggs. And, the area will serve as a nesting site for birds. You get all this for probably under $1,000. Plant large trees on the southeast corner of your lot and save on your cooling costs. The shading and evaporative cooling assist to cool your internal home temperature up to 8 degrees. OR - How about landscaping your roof. Install a green roof and reduce your heating and cooling costs. It's said that if every structure in New York had a green roof, $100 Million would be saved in cooling costs. If you live in Chicago, the City will provide you w/ grant money of up to $5,000 for construction. You'll also be saving money on reroofing as these roofs last up to twice as long as conventional roofing materials. In addition to saving you energy costs (both heating and cooling), green roofs - Reduce city “heat island†effect Reduce CO2 impact Treat nitrogen pollution in rain Negate acid rain effect Help reduce volume and peak rates of stormwater Again, plant native species to your area for low maintenance and the provide food for wildlife.
oh yeah. Planting deciduous tress really helps to shade the house in the summer but let the sun through (where it can warm the house) in the winter. One of our biggest problems now is that most housing has been poorly designed to take advantage of solar gain. There's been (in general) very little effort into having houses work with the climate to reduce costs. With more green design taking place this will hopefully become less of a problem.
Interesting. The concept makes sense. Those reductions of course are substantial, and I'm sure some would question them. I'd like to find out more. Would you please cite your sources? Thanks!
windbreaks links......... http://muextension.missouri.edu/xplor/aggu...stry/g05900.htm http://64.233.167.104/search?q=cache:mNBKf...=clnk&cd=17 southeast plantings to reduce cooling energy costs links.... http://www.pioneerthinking.com/landscape.html http://www.epa.gov/reg3esd1/garden/heat.htm green roof links........ http://www.epa.gov/heatisland/strategies/greenroofs.html http://64.233.167.104/search?q=cache:rPGty...t=clnk&cd=3
I for one have always told people around me that there is no need to wait. Last year, Pres. Bush said, "America is addicted to oil . . . the way to curb that additction is through advanced technology." This year, it was 20% by 2017. While some are trying to figure what it's going to look like or what it's going to cost or how we'll get there, I'm not waiting around for someone else to invent our way out of this addiction. There are way too many methods for directly reducing our energy draw on a personal basis to ignore them. The internet is awash with these often-easily implemented achievements. Simon mentioned Green Roofs. Here's something I (as a Chicagoan) didn't know until I started poking around: http://www.asla.org/meetings/awards/awds02...gocityhall.html
Gosh... I'm desperately trying to find something I can use here! There's just no way I can save anything near the heating costs mentioned - but I see in the article the mention of snow and such. That doesn't happen here, so I'm guessing that these savings are based on more extreme weather than I ever see. I'm still quite dubious about 40%! That's just crazy talk. Our big winds come in the spring and fall when we aren't using the heat anyway, so that's a non-starter for me. Shade cooling is another matter, and though our house was improperly oriented, we've done what we can with that one! Of course we have to trade off shade trees witih PV energy production as well...
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(TonyPSchaefer @ Jan 27 2007, 04:35 PM) [snapback]381735[/snapback]</div> Yes, Chicago has a lot of green roofs and there's a momentum building. A lot of this can be contributed to the Mayor of Chicago. He's fond of the environment and the green roofs that enhance it. He's said before that he wants to be know as the "greenest" mayor and I think he's doing a darn good job. My favorite part of the link you posted..... "The City of Chicago Department of Environment (DOE) initiated the City Hall Rooftop Garden Pilot Project as part of the Urban Heat Island Initiative with the United States Environmental Protection Agency. The rooftop garden was designed to test its cooling effects and its ability to sustain a variety of plants in three different depths of growing media. Monitoring of the plants, birds and insects is underway. Results from monitoring the cooling effects during the garden's first summer showed a roof surface temperature reduction of 70 degrees and an air temperature reduction of 15 degrees." <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(darelldd @ Jan 27 2007, 05:46 PM) [snapback]381747[/snapback]</div> I think that as you suggested, regions that experience true cold, windy winters will see a dramtic savings over those with a more mild, calmer climate. If I'm around next year, I'll let y'all know my experience w/ my windbreak. It'll be in it's second year so I'm not sure it'll be a great indication. It'll take about 3 to 4 years before the plantings are fully grown. I refuse to shade my southeast corner of my lot as I have a restored prairie that requires a lot of sun. Kinda selfish, I know, but the wildlife loves it. It's serving some kind of a purpose at least. Carbon sequesteration also, maybe?
I'm not usually one for green gadgets but this site has some interesting stuff. Todays list requires you to scroll down some before you find any really neat things but still.. Inhabitat
F8L, Do you mean something like this from the January 9th entry: http://www.toyota.co.jp/en/more_than_cars/...opgreening.html
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(darelldd @ Jan 27 2007, 02:46 PM) [snapback]381747[/snapback]</div> Darell, could you remote your panels. Then you could have your cake and eat it too. Do you guys have evaporative (swamp) coolers in CA? It seems like it would be dry enough there.
