Landscaping is a natural and beautiful way to keep your home cool in summer and reduce your energy bills. A well- placed tree, shrub, or vine can deliver effective shade, act as a windbreak, and reduce your energy bills-see landscaping illustration. Carefully positioned trees can save up to 25% of the energy a typical household uses. Research shows that summer day-time air temperatures can be 3°-6° cooler in tree-shaded neighborhoods than in treeless areas.

A lattice or trellis with climbing vines or a planter box with trailing vines shades the home while admitting cooling breezes to the shaded area.