Energy Efficient Construction
Environmental Design Consulting
Green Building and Development Techniques
Environmental Design Consulting
Green Building and Development Techniques
Energy Efficient Construction
Environmental Design Consulting
Green Building and Development Techniques
Environmental Design Consulting
Green Building and Development Techniques
Landscaping
Exterior landscaping is in an integral part of the sustainable building and energy efficient construction process as strategically placing various trees, shrubs, vines and groundcover as well as a green roof can not only make a building more comfortable to work in but also lower energy bills while adding curb appeal and increase the value of the structure. Trees and shrubbery should be native and selectively placed in order to conserve water and help cool the structure in the summer as well as allow for solar gain in the winter.
Landscaping has a host of benefits including improving local air and water quality by capturing pollutants and degrading them into harmless components in the plants root system, reducing urban heat sink by shading thermal mass components like sidewalks, roadways and structures, create common use areas outside the building, increased curb appeal, creating relaxing and welcoming environments that in turn produce higher foot traffic, occupancy and rental rates as well as slowing down runoff which reduces erosion and pollution of local water resources.
Landscaping also reduces the rate of air exchange between a building’s exterior and interior environments through leaks in the building envelope that replace conditioned air in the structure with outside unconditioned air. You can block these winds, create summer shade, channel cool breezes, reduce glare through windows, buffer noise pollution and even filter out the destructive forces of ultraviolet rays on building materials with strategically placed landscaping. Landscaping also produces transpiration in the summer months which produces a cooling affect from the release of water from green plants during hot days. In fact temperatures can be up to 9 degrees cooler in the shade of trees during the heat of the day as opposed to treeless neighborhoods, and up to 25 degrees cooler than areas of blacktop. Thus, proper landscaping and green roofs can substantially reduce utility bills and create healthier and more comfortable living environments.
A well planned landscape is just as important as a well built structure and can provide a nice return on investment from energy savings as well as increased property values and benefits to our environment. Simply planting more trees, shrubs and greenery in our cities will keep them cooler in the summer and benefit the local environment significantly.
Let us put our experience to work for you to create the ultimate living environment.
Landscaping has a host of benefits including improving local air and water quality by capturing pollutants and degrading them into harmless components in the plants root system, reducing urban heat sink by shading thermal mass components like sidewalks, roadways and structures, create common use areas outside the building, increased curb appeal, creating relaxing and welcoming environments that in turn produce higher foot traffic, occupancy and rental rates as well as slowing down runoff which reduces erosion and pollution of local water resources.
Landscaping also reduces the rate of air exchange between a building’s exterior and interior environments through leaks in the building envelope that replace conditioned air in the structure with outside unconditioned air. You can block these winds, create summer shade, channel cool breezes, reduce glare through windows, buffer noise pollution and even filter out the destructive forces of ultraviolet rays on building materials with strategically placed landscaping. Landscaping also produces transpiration in the summer months which produces a cooling affect from the release of water from green plants during hot days. In fact temperatures can be up to 9 degrees cooler in the shade of trees during the heat of the day as opposed to treeless neighborhoods, and up to 25 degrees cooler than areas of blacktop. Thus, proper landscaping and green roofs can substantially reduce utility bills and create healthier and more comfortable living environments.
A well planned landscape is just as important as a well built structure and can provide a nice return on investment from energy savings as well as increased property values and benefits to our environment. Simply planting more trees, shrubs and greenery in our cities will keep them cooler in the summer and benefit the local environment significantly.
Let us put our experience to work for you to create the ultimate living environment.
