Decrease Your Energy Costs

Decrease Your Energy Costs This Summer

On March 11, 2010 the SRP Board of Directors concluded a public process by approving an overall 4.9 percent price increase effective May 2010. For most SRP customers this increase will begin appearing during the April billing cycle. This rate hike would be the largest increase since SRP hiked rates by 12.8 percent in April 1981 and only a mere 2 years apart from the 3.9 percent that went into effect May 2008. One way to counteract utility rate increases is to design the landscape surrounding your home with the objective of conserving energy.

Thoughtful and careful landscape design can actually reduce your air-conditioning costs by as much as 15 percent or more according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Windows account for as much as 50 percent of the load placed on a typical air-conditioning system, so by shading windows with plants and trees this can effectively lower your energy bills. When selecting trees to maximize shade, trees with broad crowns and dense foliage provide the greatest shade. Strategic placement of shade trees within your landscape plan is crucial in optimizing their potential.

Placing shade trees along the west side of your property and in front of windows will be the most effective. Shade trees reduce solar heat gain by transferring the active heat-absorbing surface from an inert building envelope (like your house) to living foliage. Because the heat capacity of leaves is low, most of this energy is transferred to the surrounding air. Water in the leaves evaporate and will actually lower the air temperature. Planting shade tress along the west side of your home and in front of windows will transform what was once an inefficient, energy wasteful area into a cost effective, conservator of energy.

For additional information regarding energy efficient landscaping please contact: 602-938-6666 or visit our website at www.moonvalleynursery.com