Let the sun warm the south side of the house
Deciduous trees can prevent solar gain even when their leaves fall off.
The sun can help warm the house in winter, especially when the south side of the house is unshaded from about 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. Keeping trees far enough from the house so they don't cast a shadow allows more light inside. Energy costs will be lower and the house will be more cheerful. If the house has photovoltaic(PV) Generation of electricity directly from sunlight. A photovoltaic cell has no moving parts; electrons are energized by sunlight and result in current flow. panels, keeping shade off south-facing roofs is equally important.
Green points
LEED for HomesLeadership in Energy and Environmental Design. LEED for Homes is the residential green building program from the United States Green Building Council (USGBC). While this program is primarily designed for and applicable to new home projects, major gut rehabs can qualify. 1 point under ID 1.5 (Innovation & Design Process) for meeting passive solar design criteria.
NGBSNational Green Building Standard Based on the NAHB Model Green Home Building Guidelines and passed through ANSI. This standard can be applied to both new homes, remodeling projects, and additions. Under Ch. 7 — Energy Efficiency: 4 points for meeting passive solar design requirements (704.3.1.4); 2 points for skylights (704.2.4).
Learn more in the Green Building Encyclopedia
