According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, planting trees and vegetation is a simple and effective way to reduce heat islands. When a city such as Downtown Clearwater strategically plants trees around homes and buildings the interior is directly cooled, therefore reducing air conditioning and peak energy demand. It has been proven that trees effectively cool the air and buildings around them through the production of shade and “evapotranspiration” which is the evaporation of water from leaves.

It is interesting to learn that the shade from trees make the surface cooler anywhere from 9 to 36 degrees F or 5 to 20 degrees C. This is much cooler than the peak surface temperature of un-shaded areas. These cool “shaded” areas decrease the quantity of heat transferring to buildings….thus reducing the energy needed for air conditioning.

We should also keep in mind that trees and vegetation improve air quality most notably by reducing Carbon Dioxide (CO2) emissions, decreasing storm water runoff and by improving community livability.

NASA reported in a 2004 article that some US cities have initiated the planting of rooftop gardens on city buildings to help cool the urban surface. Rooftop gardens insulate buildings and reduce energy consumption by intercepting solar energy that would otherwise heat the roof surface. And because rooftop gardens are irrigated, evapotranspiration helps cool the air.

What should you do this weekend? Cool down by planting a tree. But first we would suggest that you visit the official Clearwater website at www.myclearwater.com, and review the residential development guide. It’s a great resource for recommended shade trees with low water usage that will fit into the landscape of beautiful Clearwater. Also for further interest and more in-depth research documentation, you can also visit www.epa.gov/hiri/strategies/vegetation.html. And as always, you can become a member of the Clearwater Downtown Partnership and help us create a beautiful downtown that will become Tampa Bay’s new destination!