| Estimates indicate that in Minnesota, strategically placed shade trees could reduce an air conditioning bill by up to 25% and a windbreak could reduce annual fuel bills by up to 10 to 20%. |
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| Give highest priority to planting shade trees due west of west windows. Planting shade trees due east of east windows is second priority. Select a tree that can be planted within twenty feet of the window and will grow at least ten feet taller than the window. When space permits, use as many trees as needed to create a continuous planting along all major west and east facing windows. |
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| Click here for Austin Utilities Tree Program Guidelines. |
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Select a tree that will grow as big as growing space permits. Remember, a tree needs space for both branches and roots. Since the most beneficial locations for shade trees are close to the east and west sides of buildings, the best trees will be strong, resisting disease and pests and damage from storms. Many species are inherently more appropriate for energy conservation plantings. |
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| Avoid trees south of windows |
| Contrary to intuition, the worst place to have a tree from an energy-saving perspective is out in the yard south of a home. In summer when the sun is high in the sky at midday, the shadow of a tree falls directly under the tree and entirely misses a home to its north. In winter, however, the shadow of the same tree will fall on the house throughout most of the day. To avoid shading south windows, any trees south of the home should be located at least twice their mature height away from the house. |
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| PLANTING PRIORITIES |
- Planting shade trees due west of west-facing windows.
- Planting shade trees due east of east-facing windows.
- Planting an evergreen windbreak tree to the north and west.
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| Trees Recommended for Energy Conservation |
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| Shade Trees |
Mature Height |
Distance from House** |
| Norway Maple |
40' |
15-30' |
| Red Maple* (select Northern variety, e.g. 'Northwoods') |
40' |
15-30' |
| Sugar Maple* |
40' |
15-30' |
| Ohio Buckeye |
30' |
10-20' |
| Horsechestnut |
40' |
15-25' |
| European Alder |
30' |
10-20' |
| River Birch |
30' |
15-25' |
| Northern Catalpa |
40' |
15-25' |
| Hackberry |
40' |
15-30' |
| White Ash |
40' |
15-25' |
| Manchurian Ash* |
40' |
15-25' |
| Kentucky Coffeetree* |
40' |
10-20' |
| Walnut or Butternut* |
40' |
15-30' |
| Ironwood |
30' |
10-20' |
| Amur Corktree |
30' |
10-25' |
| Robusta Poplar |
40' |
15-30' |
| Black Cherry |
40' |
15-30' |
| Bicolor Oak |
40' |
15-30' |
| Littleleaf Linden (avoid pyramidal-shaped cultivars) |
40' |
15-30' |
| American Linden (avoid pyramidal-shaped cultivars) |
40' |
15-30' |
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| Shade Trees Under Wires |
Mature Height |
Distance from House** |
| Amur Maple |
20' |
10-20' |
| Hawthorn |
20' |
15-20' |
| Flowering Crab |
15-25' |
10-20' |
| American Plum |
20' |
10-20' |
| Amur Chokecherry |
20' |
10-20' |
| Canada Plum |
15' |
10-20' |
| Japanese Tree Lilac |
20' |
10-20' |
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| Windbreak Trees |
Mature Height |
Distance from House** |
| Concolor Fir |
40' |
40-80' |
| Norway Spruce |
40' |
40-80' |
| Black Hills Spruce |
40' |
40-80' |
| Colorado Spruce |
40' |
40-80' |
| Douglas-Fir |
40' |
40-80' |
| American Arborvitae |
30' |
40-80' |
| Pines: Austrian, Red, White Scotch |
40' |
40-80' |
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| * Use only these trees near east and west windows. |
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| ** Use closer distance for solar friendly shade trees to east adn west, for other shade trees use further distance from windows, Evergreens should be no closer than their mature height to east and west windows. DO NOT locate any trees closer to the south windows than TWICE their MATURE height. |
