Payback in 8 Years...Energy Efficient Landscaping Can Save Dollars
After a long, cold winter, Spring has finally sprung. As flowers begin to bloom and trees sprout new leaves, we are finally seeing evidence of the changing season. For a large majority of homeowners, that means it's time to start thinking about landscaping projects.
A well-designed landscape not only adds beauty to your home, it can help reduce your water use, improve your home's comfort and lower your energy bills all year long. On average, a well-designed landscape saves enough energy to pay for itself in less than eight years. Carefully placed trees can provide shade from the hot summer sun and block the chilly winter wind — saving up to 25 percent of a typical home's energy use. Research has shown that summer air temperatures in tree-shaded neighborhoods can be 3 to 6 degrees cooler than treeless areas.
A new Energy Saver 101: Everything you need to know about Landscaping provides the basics of how you can make your landscape work for you whether you're looking to shade your home from solar heat gain, create a windbreak or conserve water.
For other ways to save money by saving energy, visit the Energy Saver webpage.