Energy Saving Landscapes NC Nursery & Landscape Association 1/14/2013

College of Engineering North Carolina Energy Efficiency Alliance Donna Coleman, Architect

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Aristotle said in 350 BC: “…homes should be airy in summer and sunny in winter. A house promising these qualities would be longer than it is deep and the main front would face south”

Energy Saving Landscape Goals Building/Home layout relative to sun, wind, and views Buffers: climatic, acoustic and visual Landscaping that includes shading Reduced site paving

Integrated Design Taking advantage of climate and other natural system characteristics  Surveying and Planning needs to happen in schematics “Whole System” Thinking  Designing with Natural Systems requires thinking of the site and the building as a whole system Choosing a team  Include professionals in the goal setting and decision making  Owner, including their financial team!  Civil Engineers  Landscape Architects  Architects  Contractors/landscape installers  PME Engineers

The Building as a System Energy Use Human Comfort Durability

Early Decision Making Common issues to address early and “greenly”  Size and Location of mature landscaping versus energy needs  Orientation can effect the ENERGY STAR and HERS score of buildings/homes  The use of passive solar design means: –generally unobstructed exposure on the south –shade on the East and West –the southern exposure should have low height/low maintenance plantings (maintained to bottom of window sill) –the roof is shaded from a direction other than south  Shade HVAC equipment for better performance in cooling season  Shade hard surfaces areas (especially those with thermal mass) around the building can reduce building air conditioning needs  Don’t shade Renewable Energy System installation areas on a roof with mature landscaping  Size and Location mature landscaping versus durability needs  Buildings need air movement around them, mature, unkempt landscaping can block air movement  Plantings can destroy building and hard surface site elements, over time, if not maintained  Land Clearing  Choose responsible fuels to power heavy equipment

Early Decision Making Size and Location of mature landscaping versus energy needs

True / Solar South = Geographic South Point where earth’s axis passes through Constant; Does not change Compass / Magnetic South Determined by earth’s molten magnetic core Always changing What is Orientation ? NOAA Solar Calculators (at bottom of webpage) NOAA Solar Calculators (at bottom of webpage)

Early Decision Making Size and Location of mature landscaping versus energy needs  Orientation can effect the ENERGY STAR and HERS score of buildings/homes

Early Decision Making Size and Location of mature landscaping versus energy needs  The use of passive solar design means: –generally unobstructed exposure on the south –shade on the East and West –the southern exposure should have low height/low maintenance plantings (maintained to bottom of window sill) –the roof is shaded from a direction other than south

Early Decision Making Size and Location of mature landscaping versus energy needs  Shade HVAC equipment for better performance in cooling season

Early Decision Making Size and Location of mature landscaping versus energy needs  Shade hard surfaces areas (especially those with thermal mass) around the building can reduce building air conditioning needs Selecting and planting trees Selecting and planting trees

Early Decision Making Size and Location of mature landscaping versus energy needs  Don’t shade Renewable Energy System installation areas on a roof with mature landscaping

Early Decision Making Size and Location mature landscaping versus durability needs  Buildings need air movement around them, mature, unkempt landscaping can block air movement  Plantings can destroy building and hard surface site elements, over time if not maintained

Early Site Work Land Clearing  Choose responsible fuels to power heavy equipment Biodiesel dealers in NC Biodiesel in NC information: _in_NC.cfm Biodiesel dealers in NC Biodiesel in NC information: _in_NC.cfm

Web Resources      content/uploads/Energy_Landscape.pdf  n october/fa-1-energy.php

Contact Information Donna Coleman, Architect djc-architect.com