trees lower energy bill| $25 a year| Big deal?

Eric Frei · 16th February 2009, 07:12 PM

Here's the research, quantified.

Now that a figure has been put on it, I'm disappointed to see it so little, $25, like it costs a lot more than that to look after it and clean the gutters.

Thoughts?

California Study Shows Shade Trees Reduce Summertime Electricity Use

Quote:

ScienceDaily (Jan. 7, 2009) — A recent study shows that shade trees on the west and south sides of a house in California can reduce a homeowner's summertime electric bill by about $25.00 a year. The study, conducted last year on 460 single-family homes in Sacramento, is the first large-scale study to use utility billing data to show that trees can reduce energy consumption.

"Everyone knows that shade trees cool a house. No one is going to get a Nobel Prize for that conclusion," says the study co-author, Geoffrey Donovan. "But this study gets at the details: Where should a tree be placed to get the most benefits? And how exactly do shade trees impact our carbon footprint?"

Donovan, a research forester with the Forest Service's Pacific Northwest (PNW) Research Station, is a co-author of the report with economist David Butry of the National Institutes of Standards and Technology. The report, "The Value of Shade: Estimating the Effect of Urban Trees on Summertime Electricity Use," has been submitted for publication to the journal Energy and Buildings.

The researchers chose to do their study on homes in Sacramento because of the city's hot summers and the fact that most people use air conditioners. The Sacramento Municipal Utility District operates an active tree planting program and residents are eligible for up to 10 free trees annually through a program delivered in partnership with the Sacramento Tree Foundation.

Some of the study's key findings are:

* Placement of a tree is the key to energy savings. Shade trees do affect summertime electricity use, but the amount of the savings depends on the location of the tree.
* Trees planted within 40 feet of the south side or within 60 feet of the west side of the house will generate about the same amount of energy savings. This is because of the way shadows fall at different times of the day.
* Tree cover on the east side of a house has no effect on electricity use.
* A tree planted on the west side of a house can reduce net carbon emissions from summertime electricity use by 30 percent over a 100-year period.

In 2007, the Sacramento Municipal Utility District gave its customers about 16,000 free trees (at a cost of $85.00 a tree). The district will recoup this investment in 26 years provided trees are planted on the west side of a house.

"Because homeowners experience virtually none of the carbon benefits of tree planting," says Donovan, "a subsidy to encourage tree planting seems warranted. Indeed, many of the benefits of urban trees have been shown to spill over to others in the community."

Sean Freeman · 16th February 2009, 08:02 PM

Oh to be a researcher....please somebody forward my name onto whatever list these guys are on to re-hash work done over 16yrs ago.

cufr_60_costbenefits.pdf

For me (big surprise to everyone I know

) its no big deal..sure I'll spend the time doing a calc in Oz that will stand up to close examination if thats what the client needs/asks for/requires but honestly if someone needs the value of trees explained to them in $$$'s they don't really have my attention, and they don't understand the cost and benefits at play in every aspect of our urban lives.

Good luck to the researchers, I wish I could get paid for that.

Anyone who is seriously interested in getting their head around just what it is that trees provide to the urban environment just wander around any one of the tens of websites set up by US Forestry, Municipal Authorities (US and Canada), Treenet (SA Australia), a great many Universities and colleges across the globe.

I have personally collected more than 100 documents dating back to the early90's and run right up to last year that quantify every element in the relationship between trees and the urban environment, and the whole picture. Anyone else can do the same thing.

jomoco · 17th February 2009, 04:06 AM

I know you guys are gonna think I'm crazy, but I made this ratcheting wind-up generator thingamubob that you hook up to tall trees (that are downwind of the prevailing wind) with a cable. The swaying of the tree powers the machine's 6 foot ratchet arm, as soon as 21 binding revolutions are complete, a timing mechanism dislodges a retension cam, this allows the 500 pound springmotor/flywheel assembly to spinup to over 375 rpm generating about 6K watts for over two minutes before spooling down and resetting automatically to repeat the burst power generation cycle.

I envision a wilderness park with my treeslave hooked to a tall tree, digitally capable of talking to visitors, and telling them their specie's history, complete with an outdoor lcd viewing screen. Kind of like bumping into Treebeard himself, and listening to and watching him expound on Ent history in person. Of course these educational chats with an Ent could only occur on days the wind blows.

Don't make me start postin pictures of my contraption guys, cuz yu know I just might do it?

jomoco

Eric Frei · 17th February 2009, 05:00 PM

LOL, you better patent it before Sherill's copy it though!

Done it · 17th February 2009, 06:44 PM

jomoco, have a look at this thread, Tree Power| Voltage Explained

Eric Frei · 17th February 2009, 07:31 PM

Fresh in.

Trees are valuable, in the right place | theage.com.au

Quote:

Trees are valuable, in the right place

Peter Ker
February 17, 2009

ONE of the world's leading thinkers on the economic benefits of trees in urban landscapes has conceded that vegetation can be a danger and a liability when grown in the wrong place.

Dr Greg McPherson, whose revolutionary work has influenced the environmental policies of New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg, said major disasters such as hurricane Katrina and last week's devastating bushfires were a reminder that while trees created economic advantages for cities, they still needed to be kept in control.

"Like anything else, the wrong tree in the wrong place can be a liability and a threat, so we have to be really mindful about the trees we select and where we put them," he told The Age yesterday, at the start of his Australian visit.

Dr McPherson is best known for his argument that trees create economic benefits far beyond their cost to cities. Applied to New York City, Dr McPherson calculated that for every dollar spent on trees, more than five dollars was saved across a range of expenses including energy bills and stormwater contamination.

Urban land clearing has become an important issue in the wake of the bushfires, with councils such as Nillumbik in the north-eastern suburbs being criticised for refusing to allow residents to clear vegetation around homes.

Dr McPherson, who will speak at a forestation conference in Canberra today, said the "full range of benefits and costs" had to be considered when choosing where to plant trees.

jomoco · 18th February 2009, 01:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ekka

LOL, you better patent it before Sherill's copy it though!

Patent?

What's that?

United States Patent: 6825574

jomoco

Eric Frei · 20th February 2009, 05:43 PM

Quote:

A study of trees in South Australia showed they had a value of $200 each in shade and carbon sequestration, Mr Moore said.

Source: Doctor's plea for trees | theage.com.au

So that had me searching for information.

Found the attached from SA.

But as the topic is energy not total benefit I then found this in that document.

Quote:

Energy Savings $64.00

So I'd say, that the savings on your energy bill by having trees doesn't appear to be that significant.

Sunraysia Tree Solutions · 2nd March 2011, 07:21 PM

Just read in the latest arbor age (feb/march 2011) that Burnley students are doing further studies as to the benefit on heating costs of trees.

16th February 2009, 08:02 PM	#2
Sean Freeman Veteran Heritage Status Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Townsville Nth Queensland & Gold Coast Sth Queensland Posts: 1,981	Re: trees lower energy bill\| $25 a year\| Big deal? Oh to be a researcher....please somebody forward my name onto whatever list these guys are on to re-hash work done over 16yrs ago. cufr_60_costbenefits.pdf For me (big surprise to everyone I know) its no big deal..sure I'll spend the time doing a calc in Oz that will stand up to close examination if thats what the client needs/asks for/requires but honestly if someone needs the value of trees explained to them in $$$'s they don't really have my attention, and they don't understand the cost and benefits at play in every aspect of our urban lives. Good luck to the researchers, I wish I could get paid for that. Anyone who is seriously interested in getting their head around just what it is that trees provide to the urban environment just wander around any one of the tens of websites set up by US Forestry, Municipal Authorities (US and Canada), Treenet (SA Australia), a great many Universities and colleges across the globe. I have personally collected more than 100 documents dating back to the early90's and run right up to last year that quantify every element in the relationship between trees and the urban environment, and the whole picture. Anyone else can do the same thing.

17th February 2009, 04:06 AM	#3
jomoco Sappling Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: San Diego Posts: 43	Re: trees lower energy bill\| $25 a year\| Big deal? I know you guys are gonna think I'm crazy, but I made this ratcheting wind-up generator thingamubob that you hook up to tall trees (that are downwind of the prevailing wind) with a cable. The swaying of the tree powers the machine's 6 foot ratchet arm, as soon as 21 binding revolutions are complete, a timing mechanism dislodges a retension cam, this allows the 500 pound springmotor/flywheel assembly to spinup to over 375 rpm generating about 6K watts for over two minutes before spooling down and resetting automatically to repeat the burst power generation cycle. I envision a wilderness park with my treeslave hooked to a tall tree, digitally capable of talking to visitors, and telling them their specie's history, complete with an outdoor lcd viewing screen. Kind of like bumping into Treebeard himself, and listening to and watching him expound on Ent history in person. Of course these educational chats with an Ent could only occur on days the wind blows. Don't make me start postin pictures of my contraption guys, cuz yu know I just might do it? jomoco

17th February 2009, 05:00 PM	#4
Eric Frei Admin - Owner Palm & Tree Services in Brisbane Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Brisbane Posts: 12,996	Re: trees lower energy bill\| $25 a year\| Big deal? LOL, you better patent it before Sherill's copy it though! __________________ Protect your rights to work - Join Australian Tree Association My businesses:- Qualified Brisbane Palm and Tree Lopping \| Stump Grinding Brisbane \| Brisbane - Gold Coast Consulting Arborist

17th February 2009, 06:44 PM	#5
Done it Over mature heritage tree Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Australia. Posts: 780	Re: trees lower energy bill\| $25 a year\| Big deal? jomoco, have a look at this thread, Tree Power\| Voltage Explained

2nd March 2011, 07:21 PM	#9
Sunraysia Tree Solutions Semi-mature vigorous tree Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Mildura Posts: 117	Re: trees lower energy bill\| $25 a year\| Big deal? Just read in the latest arbor age (feb/march 2011) that Burnley students are doing further studies as to the benefit on heating costs of trees.

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