Energy-Saving Landscaping for Your Passive Solar Home
Passive solar energy is derived directly from sunlight entering the home and heat captured through the use of materials such as block and concrete. For cooling, direct sunlight and heat absorption is controlled through shading and blocking solar energy through the use of plants and reflective materials. Energy-saving landscaping for your passive solar home includes proper positioning of trees and bushes, the use of ground cover plants, and the use of hardscape elements such as pergolas. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Sketch of property
- Trees and shrubs
- Turf and ground cover
- Covered structure
Instructions
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Make a rough sketch of the property. Indicate the orientation of the home on the lot and indicate the position of windows on the home's exterior. Use this sketch as a guide for selecting plants and determining their placement, as well as placement for other hardscape elements.
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Select indigenous, deciduous trees for the landscape. Indigenous trees are native to the region and have adapted to the natural cycles of rainfall, frost and seasonal shifts. Deciduous trees are those that lose their leaves in the autumn and remain bare through winter. These provide shade in the summer but allow solar heat gain for the home in the winter.
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Position tall, wide trees so they shade the southern exposure of the home throughout the summer months, paying particular attention to positioning them in front of windows with high heat gain.
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Position smaller, deciduous trees to the north, east and west. Account for growth of all the trees over time so you don't plant them too close together or too close to the house.
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Select low-growing shrubs to work with tree placement to create wind channels and windbreaks. Wind channels "capture" breezes and direct them toward the home. Wind breaks deflect cold winds away from the home. The placement of trees and shrubs to direct wind flow depends on the region. Determine the direction of the prevailing winds in various seasons or consult an environmental expert.
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Use an appropriate ground cover for your region and landscape design. Place turf in locations with full sun and use ground cover in shaded areas. This reduces water usage as well as provides a cooling effect in the summer.
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Add a covered structure, such as a pergola or porch, to the landscape, placing it adjacent to the sunny side of the home. If possible, use screening or other removable material for the covering. When removed in the winter, the heat gain is maximized. Cover in the summer to minimize heat gain.
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Tips & Warnings
If building a new home, choose a north/south orientation and keep the windows on the east and west sides small.
Plant trees 10 to 15 feet away from the house and check with local utility companies before digging.
Shrubs placed closer to the home reduce heat gain by keeping exterior walls cool.
References
Resources
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