A well-designed landscape not only can add curb appeal to your home but it also can reduce your heating and cooling costs. On average, landscaping for energy efficiency provides enough energy savings to return an initial investment in 5 -  8 years.

• A well-positioned tree can save up to 25% of your home's energy for heating and cooling. A six-foot tree will provide shade in its first year.

• A tree-shaded yard can be up to 6 degrees cooler than a sunny yard. A shaded lawn can be up to 25 degrees cooler than sunny pavement.

• Use shrubs or trees to shade air conditioners and increase efficiency by up to 10%. Be sure not crowd or plant too close to the AC unit.
  

• Shading your home's roof can increase your air conditioner's energy efficiency by more than 10%.

• Plant evergreens to provide year round wind protection.
  

• A single shade tree equals the cooling power of 15 air conditioners -- and it runs for free.

• Plant vines on a trellis. Vines can shade windows or a side of your home. Do not allow vines to attach themselves to your home. Their roots can tunnel into mortar or damage wood or other siding.
  

• Three house-shading trees can cut your cooling cost by as much as 50%.

• Windbreaks can cut winter heating bills by 10 to 30%.