Forest Home Sites Influence Heating and Cooling Energy

Abstract

Abstract Experiments with small mobile homes in Pennsylvania indicated that shade of trees can significantly reduce solar heating and that by lowering wind speeds forests can lessen infiltration of outside air. In one deciduous stand in summer, cooling energy needs were 75 percent less than in the open. In winter shading is counterproductive, offsetting savings from reduced infiltration of cold air. In the deciduous stand, savings in winter heating energy were only 8 percent, and with greater shading in a dense pine forest heating energy needs rose 12 percent. Forests and windbreaks are especially effective with poorly sealed houses and in windy weather. On forested sites in most of the United States, energy use can probably be lessened by manipulating forest growth to allow the sun to strike the house in winter. On open sites windbreaks and carefully located shade trees would lessen year-round energy use.