| According to the US Environmental Protection | | | | transferring to buildings....thus reducing |
| Agency, planting trees and vegetation is a | | | | the energy needed for air conditioning. |
| simple and effective way to reduce heat | | | | |
| islands. When a city such as Downtown | | | | We should also keep in mind that trees and |
| Clearwater strategically plants trees around | | | | vegetation improve air quality most notably |
| homes and buildings the interior is directly | | | | by reducing Carbon Dioxide (CO2) emissions, |
| cooled, therefore reducing air conditioning | | | | decreasing storm water runoff and by |
| and peak energy demand. It has been proven | | | | improving community livability. |
| that trees effectively cool the air and | | | | |
| buildings around them through the production | | | | NASA reported in a 2004 article that some US |
| of shade and "evapotranspiration" which is | | | | cities have initiated the planting of rooftop |
| the evaporation of water from leaves. | | | | gardens on city buildings to help cool the |
| | | | urban surface. Rooftop gardens insulate |
| It is interesting to learn that the shade | | | | buildings and reduce energy consumption by |
| from trees make the surface cooler anywhere | | | | intercepting solar energy that would |
| from 9 to 36 degrees F or 5 to 20 degrees C. | | | | otherwise heat the roof surface. And because |
| This is much cooler than the peak surface | | | | rooftop gardens are irrigated, |
| temperature of un-shaded areas. These cool | | | | evapotranspiration helps cool the air. |
| "shaded" areas decrease the quantity of heat | | | | |