Donovan, G.
and Butry, D.
(2009),
The value of shade: Estimating the effect of urban trees on summertime electricity use, Energy and Buildings (Accessed May 11, 2026)
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The value of shade: Estimating the effect of urban trees on summertime electricity use
Published
Author(s)
Geoffrey Donovan,
Abstract
We estimated the effect of shade trees on the summertime electricity use of 640 single-family homes in Sacramento, California. Results show that trees on the west and south sides of a house reduce summertime electricity use, whereas trees on the north side of a house increase summertime electricity use. Current level of tree cover on the west and south sides of houses in our sample reduce summertime electricity use by 185 kWh (5.2 %), whereas north-side trees increase electricity use by 55 kWh (1.5 %). Results also show that a London Plane Tree, planted on the west side of a house, can reduce carbon emissions from summertime electricity use by 31% over a 100-year horizon.Citation
Energy and Buildings
Volume
41
Pub Type
Journals
Keywords
urban trees, energy conservation, economics, shade, California
Citation
Issues
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Created May 31, 2009, Updated October 12, 2021