Energy Efficient Landscaping

     My house is surrounded by 40’ tall Spruce trees, yes, completely surrounded. I guess the previous owner must have had a thing for them. Now, I have nothing against Spruce trees, they are quite majestic and provide a great deal of privacy, but they are not entirely energy efficient. What?! Trees are energy efficient? Yes, as a matter of fact a properly designed landscape can help your home be more energy efficient. For instance, planting large evergreen trees on the North West side of your home can reduce the wind exposure in winter and help reduce your heating costs. By blocking the prevailing winter winds, your furnace will not have to work as hard to keep your house warm in winter. Planting shade trees, such as Maples, on the South side of your home can provide shade from the summer sun and help reduce cooling costs in the summer.

     So why aren’t the 40’ Spruce trees surrounding my house energy efficient then? Well, actually some of them are. The ones planted in back (the North side of the house) do block the northern winds in winter, and are quite pretty when the snow is falling. However, the ones in front (the South side) do more harm than good. During the winter, when the sun is low in the horizon, they actually block the light from coming in the windows. This takes away any warming benefit of the winter sun. During the summer they don’t do much good either since they are quite slim towards the top and don’t cast much of a shadow when the sun is higher in the sky. A better choice would be shade trees. During the winter, they have no leaves so the sun can come in through the windows and help warm the house. During the summer, they provide shade on the house and help keep the home cool. Not to mention the brilliant fall colors.

     Of course, size does matter. Planting a 1” shade tree or a 4’ evergreen tree, won’t do much good as far as energy reduction for a number of years. If you are looking to take a bite out of your energy bill now, try planting larger trees from the beginning. A 4” Shade tree on the South side of the house, such as Autumn Blaze Maple, will give you instant shade. In addition they are fast growers and have a great fall color as well. On the North West side, look into Black Hills Spruce, preferably an 8-10’ one. They are smaller in size overall compared to other Spruce trees, reaching only around 20-25’ in height, but they still provide a good wind screen for those long Wisconsin winters.

     If you’re looking to reduce your energy costs, try looking outside. Appliances and caulk aren’t the only ways to help cinch up the energy budget. Well thought out landscaping can go a long way to cutting your energy bill and beautifying your yard.