Energy-Wise Landscape Design

305 Pages·2011·10.455 MB·English

by  Reed, Sue

Advance Praise for
Energy-Wise
LANDSCAPE DESIGN
Sue Reed has compiled an extremely useful and readable book on ways in which we can design
and manage landscapes with the goal of conserving —and even producing —energy. I have not
seen another book which brings together so many useful concepts and practical information.
This comprehensive book, written in a direct, non-jargonistic manner, will be of tremendous
value to everyone from individual homeowners to students of environmental design.
—Darrel Morrison, Professor and Dean Emeritus,
School of Environmental Design, University of Georgia and Adjunct Professor,
Master of Science in Landscape Design Program, Columbia University
Plants matter, and no one has articulated their role in conserving energy in our landscapes bet-
ter than Susan Reed. Energy-wise Landscape Design is a comprehensive yet unusually readable
review of the whys and wherefores of designing ecologically responsible landscapes. If you are
looking for easy ways to reduce your carbon footprint while helping to sustain the ecosystems that
sustain you, read this book.
—Doug Tallamy, author of Bringing Nature Home
This long overdue book is well organized, well written and well illustrated, a fine cohesive work
that deserves focused reading. It will be a must-read for all design students, and a reach-for book
for landscape professionals who wish to fill some of the gaps in their own education and design work.
—Walter Cudnohufsky, Landscape Architect, and Founder,
Conway School of Landscape Design
Energy-Wise Landscape Designintegrates specific design solutions directed toward energy conser-
vation with sustaining the natural environment. Too many books about energy-efficient
landscapes ignore the energy values of nature itself and propose clearing trees or whole forests to
open vistas for solar and wind power. Sue Reed’s step-by-step suggestions make change towards
sustainable landscaping doable, instead of difficult and unfamiliar.
—Leslie Jones Sauer,author of The Once and Future Forest
Advance Praise continued
Sue Reed's book amounts to a conversation with the author who gently but inevitably convinces
us to integrate thoughts about energy into all our concepts of action and beauty. She brilliantly
focuses on the what and why of designing landscapes for the needs of users in the 21st century.
This is a must read for those who want guidance for the landscapes of their existing properties
or are about to build a new home. Her poetic conclusive paragraphs should be required reading
for all, and especially for landscape architects and designers.
—Don Walker, Landscape Architect and retired Director,
Conway School of Landscape Design
Sue Reed has done something wonderful in this ambitious first book —in friendly, plain lan-
guage she has leaped over the mundane of the “how to” genre to infuse the reader with real
awareness and understanding of basic principles of natural process and about the benefits
and methods of gently milking nature for its goodness.
—Brad Johnson, Landscape Architect,
Brad Johnson + Associates (BradJohnson.ca)
This is no vapid coffee-table garden book to be merely flipped through and set aside. Nor is it a
depressing diatribe about inevitable environmental decline and culpability. Energy-wise Landscape
Designis filled with practical, specific design advice that will inspire you to get up and get work-
ing to make a better home landscape for yourself and the planet.
—Paul Cawood Hellmund, ASLA, President/Director,
Conway School of Landscape Design, Graduate Program in Sustainable Landscape
Planning & Design, and co-author/editor of Designing Greenwaysand Ecology of Greenways
If like most people, you’ve just thought about saving energy in terms of what goes on inside your
home, you’re in for a big and pleasant surprise, as Sue Reed guides you to understand how mak-
ing your property more beautiful with landscaping, done properly, can also generate considerable
savings in your annual energy bills while making your home more comfortable. A big three-for-
one benefit!
—Jerry Yudelson, author of Choosing Green: The Homebuyer’s Guide to Good Green Homes

New Society Publishers
Cataloging in Publication Data:
A catalog record for this publication is available from the National Library of Canada.
Copyright © 2010 by Sue Reed.
All rights reserved.
Cover design by Diane McIntosh.
Inside: Photography by Sue Reed, except where noted; Illustrations by Kate Dana, except where noted.
Printed in Canada by Friesens.
First printing January 2010.
Paperback ISBN: 978-0-86571-653-7
Inquiries regarding requests to reprint all or part of Energy-wise Landscape Design should be addressed to
New Society Publishers at the address below.
To order directly from the publishers, please call toll-free (North America)
1-800-567-6772, or order online at www.newsociety.com
Any other inquiries can be directed by mail to:
New Society Publishers
P.O. Box 189, Gabriola Island, BC V0R 1X0, Canada
[phone]
New Society Publishers’ mission is to publish books that contribute in fundamental ways to building an eco-
logically sustainable and just society, and to do so with the least possible impact on the environment, in a manner
that models this vision. We are committed to doing this not just through education, but through action. This
book is one step toward ending global deforestation and climate change. It is printed on Forest Stewardship
Council-certified acid-free paper that is 100% post-consumer recycled(100% old growth forest-free), processed
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Contents
Acknowledgments ..................................................................................................................................ix
Introduction .............................................................................................................................................1
Section I: Arranging the Landscape to Help Cool a House in Summer .....................................5
CHAPTER1: THESUNANDTHEWIND ......................................................................................7
CHAPTER2: SHADINGTHEHOUSE ...........................................................................................21
ACTION: Provide Shade During Early Morning and Late Afternoon ..............................23
ACTION: Shade the House During Mid-afternoon and Mid-morning .............................26
ACTION: Shade South-facing Windows and Walls ..............................................................30
CHAPTER3: COOLINGTHEAIRAROUNDTHEHOUSE ......................................................35
ACTION: Add Trees and Many Other Plants to Your Landscape ......................................37
ACTION: Capture Breezes .........................................................................................................38
CHAPTER4: COOLINGTHEGROUNDNEARTHEHOUSE ..................................................43
ACTION: Shade the Ground with Living Plants ...................................................................44
ACTION: Cover Bare Ground with Mulch .............................................................................46
ACTION: Minimize the Extent of Mown Lawn ....................................................................46
ACTION: Minimize Hard Surfaces, Especially Near the House ........................................48
ACTION: Use “Cool Pavement” On Driveways ......................................................................49
v
VI | ENERGY-WISE LANDSCAPE DESIGN
Section II: Arranging the Landscape to Help Warm a House in Winter...................................53
CHAPTER5: TAKINGADVANTAGEOFTHESUN’SHEAT.....................................................55
ACTION: Allow Maximum Sunlight to Reach the House at Midday..................................57
ACTION: Make the Most of Morning and Afternoon Sunlight............................................60
CHAPTER6: REDUCINGTHECHILLINGEFFECTOFWINTERWIND..............................63
ACTION: Plant a Windbreak......................................................................................................64
ACTION: Plant a Buffer near the House...................................................................................68
ACTION: Position Structures to Deflect Wind.......................................................................70
Section III: Designing the Realm of Plants.......................................................................................73
CHAPTER7: CREATINGHEALTHYWORKINGECOSYSTEMS..............................................75
ACTION: Use Regionally Native Plants....................................................................................77
ACTION: Select Plants That Contribute to the Work of Nature.........................................82
ACTION: Match Plants to Soil Conditions..............................................................................83
ACTION: Add Nothing; Just Remove Unwanted Plants........................................................87
CHAPTER8: REDUCING(ORELIMINATING) LAWN................................................................89
ACTION: Stop Mowing Some of the Lawn..............................................................................91
ACTION: Replace Some Amount of Existing Lawn with Other Elements.........................93
ACTION: Design a Lawn-free Landscape.................................................................................96
CHAPTER9: USINGWATEREFFICIENTLY..................................................................................99
ACTION: Design Gardens for Least Water Demand............................................................100
ACTION: Manage Runoff with Topography..........................................................................103
ACTION: Collect Rainwater......................................................................................................106
Section IV: Designing the Whole Property....................................................................................111
CHAPTER10: FITTINGTHELANDSCAPETOTHELAND....................................................113
ACTION: Revise Your Ideas to Fit the Terrain.......................................................................115
ACTION: Use the Gentlest Terrain for Things That Need It..............................................116
ACTION: Use Steeper Slopes for Things That Don’t Need Level Land............................117
CHAPTER11: DESIGNINGTHECARZONE.............................................................................119
ACTION: Put the Driveway in the Right Place......................................................................120
ACTION: Design the Car Zone Big Enough, but Not Too Big...........................................124
ACTION: Choose Suitable Paving Material............................................................................127
Contents | vii
CHAPTER12: MAKINGTHEMOSTOFEVERYELEMENT...................................................131
ACTION: Design for Function As Well As Appearance.......................................................131
ACTION: Design for Multipurpose.........................................................................................134
ACTION: Use Materials Efficiently..........................................................................................136
CHAPTER13: SITUATINGNEWHOMESWITHENERGYINMIND................................139
ACTION: Position the House for Maximum Solar Gain.....................................................140
ACTION: Situate Buildings in Accord with the Wind..........................................................142
ACTION: Plan First, Cut Later.................................................................................................143
ACTION: Buy the Right Land for Your Needs.......................................................................144
Section V: Construction and Care....................................................................................................147
CHAPTER14: INSTALLINGANDMAINTAININGPLANTEDAREAS.................................149
ACTION: Limit Importing Topsoil from Off-site..................................................................149
ACTION: Amend Soil Only When Necessary, and with a Light Touch............................152
ACTION: Plant Trees and Shrubs Properly............................................................................158
ACTION: Mulch Bare Garden Soil..........................................................................................163
ACTION: Plant Wildflower Meadows So They Thrive........................................................165
ACTION: Create Healthy Low-maintenance Lawns.............................................................170
ACTION: Water Wisely.............................................................................................................173
ACTION: Acquire Plants Appropriately..................................................................................176
CHAPTER15: BUILDINGSTRUCTURESINTHELANDSCAPE.............................................179
ACTION: Lay Patios and Paths to Be Durable.......................................................................179
ACTION: Build Stone Walls so They Hold Up Well............................................................184
ACTION: Build Wood Structures for Long Life....................................................................186
ACTION: Use Alternative, Renewable Materials...................................................................192
CHAPTER16: CONSTRUCTINGNEWHOMESITES................................................................197
ACTION: Protect the Site Before and During Construction...............................................197
ACTION: Use Energy-efficient Construction Techniques...................................................202
ACTION: Consider Building an Earth-sheltered Home.......................................................205
ACTION: Heal the Site after Construction............................................................................209
Section VI: Generating Energy in Your Landscape.......................................................................211
VIII | ENERGY-WISE LANDSCAPE DESIGN
CHAPTER17: MAKINGELECTRICITYFROMSUNLIGHT.....................................................217
What’s Involved?............................................................................................................................218
What’s Required?...........................................................................................................................219
CHAPTER18: GENERATINGELECTRICITYFROMTHEWIND...........................................223
What’s Involved..............................................................................................................................224
What’s Required...........................................................................................................................225
CHAPTER19: HARNESSINGTHEENERGYOFFLOWINGWATER....................................229
What’s Involved?............................................................................................................................230
What’s Required?..........................................................................................................................230
CHAPTER20: CAPTURINGTHEWARMTHOFTHEGROUND...........................................235
What’s Involved?............................................................................................................................235
What’s Required?..........................................................................................................................236
Section VII: Lights in the Landscape...............................................................................................239
CHAPTER21: LIGHTINGWITHENERGYINMIND...............................................................241
ACTION: Use the Right Energy Source for the Job..............................................................241
ACTION: Arrange Electrical Circuits to Allow Maximum Control...................................243
ACTION: Install Various Kinds of Controls...........................................................................244
ACTION: Use the Most Appropriate Light Bulb...................................................................246
ACTION: Point Light Downward, Not at the Sky................................................................250
ACTION: Clean and Maintain Light Fixtures........................................................................252
Conclusion.............................................................................................................................................253
Appendix A: Details and Calculations.............................................................................................257
Appendix B: Plant Lists......................................................................................................................265
Appendix C: Resources.......................................................................................................................273
Endnotes.................................................................................................................................................277
Bibliography...........................................................................................................................................281
Index........................................................................................................................................................285
About the Author.................................................................................................................................293
Acknowledgments
Iam deeply indebted to many friends Barbara Keene, who shares my delight in
and colleagues whose counsel, feedback and native plants, for your priceless feedback about
suggestions helped make this book possible. designing and building the realm of plants.
Much that is good in the book is due to their Peter Martin, electrician, for correcting and
guidance; anything inadequate is my responsi- improving the discussion about lighting.
bility alone. Jason Schneider, old friend, for giving me
To my generous manuscript readers… the writing advice you give to your sixth-graders.
Betsy Abert, gardener, designer and fellow Vivian Ubell and David Sumberg, for your
ex-Con, for assuring me that nothing more was encouragement at the start.
needed. Paul Waite, my kind and instructive land-
Walton Congdon, renewable energy expert, scape contractor, for 20 years of collaboration
for checking the accuracy of the entire section and our handful of magnificent successes.
on generating energy. Donald Walker, for refining my explana-
Walter Goodridge, my pal handyman, for tions about sun, shade, shadows, trees and
editing several of my explanations about con- wind (more on Don below).
struction. Lauren Wheeler, for your valuable feedback
Craig Hefner, physics teacher, for shedding about stormwater management, tree ordi-
light on wind and weather. nances, the design of semi-urban landscapes
ix