The Importance of Landscaping:
Landscaping the area in front of a house or corporate premises can not only help in providing aesthetic beauty to the establishment but also goes a long way in saving energy. Landscaping can help in reducing heating and cooling costs. In fact, the savings will be able to offset the initial investment for the new landscaping within 8 years.
The landscaping strategy that
you employ is largely governed by the climatic conditions of the area
in which you are living. Planting trees around the home will help in
reducing cooling costs during the summer. As the new plants grow they
will also be able to provide some shade, helping to reduce the cooling
costs further. In five to ten years, the tree height would have grown to
reach that of the roof of a one-storey house. Trees should be placed so
that ample amount of shade can fall on the roof, walls and windows of
the house. Deciduous trees that loose their leaves in winter are an
ideal choice as they cool houses in summer and ensure that the house
stays warm during the winter.
Creating Dead Air Space
with Your Landscaping:
Planting
a number of shrubs around the perimeter of the house will help in
creating dead air space. This acts as a buffer which will insulate your
house in both summer and winter. There should be at least one foot of
space between the full grown plants and the perimeter wall of your
house.
Using Your Landscape to Boost the Performance
of Your Air Conditioner:
Planting
a flowering tree or shrub close to an external air-conditioner unit can
help in increasing the efficiency and life span of the air-conditioner.
The positioning of the plant should ensure that its shade manages to
fall on the unit, yet the plant should not be close enough to affect the
airflow around the unit, blocking the air intake.
Reducing
Radiant Heat with Your Landscape:
If the building architecture uses a lot of glass windows and
patios, shrubs can be used to provide shade and minimize the radiant heat that is transmitted
through the glass. Plant varieties will have to grow up to a height of
six to eight feet. This will ensure that the plant’s foliage prevents
the rays of the afternoon sun falling through glass.
Protecting
Your House from the Harsh Winter:
Planting dense low-lying trees and shrubs facing the north and
northeastern parts of your house will help protect it from winter
chills. Evergreen shrubs are ideal for this purpose. They will act as a
living barrier around the house.
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