Even though you might say, “yeah, no kidding” there is now documented evidence that shade keeps you cool. But actually, the research was done on homes in sunny areas, and the best location to place shade trees to cut down on energy costs. The study consisted of 460 homes around Sacramento, and the results show trees planted on the west side of a home can have up to a 30% reduction in net carbon emissions.
Also, trees planted within 40 feet of the south side, or 60 feet of the east side, can also cut down on the energy costs of a home in the summertime. After learning this, the Sacramento Municipal Utility District gave away 16,000 free trees to homeowners in hopes the trees will save energy over years to come.
If you live in a sunny location, and want to cut down on your energy costs, this might be something worth looking into.
