Curb Appeal for the Energy Conscious

Curb appeal is a popular term that refers to the ability of a home to attract buyers from the moment they see your house. You don’t have to be selling a home to buy into curb appeal. For example a neat yard, a charming set-up, a new door, and windows–all of these aspects can affect the way that homebuyers, will react to your home. To make your home more attractive to the buyer, you can spruce up your curb appeal in an energy efficient manner. Homebuyers will be attracted by the fact that they will have an attractive house that will save them up to 25% on their energy bills long-term. And you can’t beat that type of savings.

Landscaping Techniques Based on Region

The way that you set up your landscape will depend on you’re the climate of your geographical region.

Temperate

Goal: You should shade during the summer while allowing sun to warm your home in winter. You should block winter winds.

With that in mind here are some tips to create energy efficient curb appeal:

• Plant deciduous trees to the south of the home.
• Plant dense trees, shrubs, or climbing trellises with vines to the north and north-west of your home to block winter winds. Windbreaks should be at least 1 foot from your home. Schedule regular tree trimming to maintain your trees’ good health and aesthetic appeal.

Hot-Arid

Goal: Shade the home. Air conditioned homes should block the wind from the home.

• Plant an evergreen or an equally dense tree around your home to shade it.
• You can also cool your home by planting climbing vines against your home or a trellis. If you choose to plant vines, you may want to trim them every year because the weight can damage your home if it is let to spread too far.
• With A/C: Plant a dense tree, shrub, or a climbing trellis with vines to the north and north-west of your home to block winds. Windbreaks should be at least 1 foot from your home.

Hot-Humid

Goal: Shade during the summer. Allow summer breezes to reach the home.

• Plant trees that provide shade lower to the ground to the west of the home.  This can be either evergreens or low growing deciduous trees.
• Do not plant dense trees to the north or north-west.

Cool

Goal: You should shade south and west windows during the summer while allowing sun to warm your home in winter. Plant wind breaks to block cold winter winds.

• Plant deciduous trees to the south and west of the home.
• Plant dense trees, shrubs, or climbing trellises with vines to the north and north-west of your home to block winter winds. Windbreaks should be at least 1 foot from your home.

John Tenuto spends all of his free time greening up his home. Now that he has made his landscape green, he plans to add window film to his windows.