Certain Tree Types Can Cut AC Usage

AIR conditioning can feel like a necessity on hot summer days, but a new piece of research claims its cooling impact could be replicated by planting more trees.

A study from the UK Forestry Commission in conjunction with Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) found that highly green areas are as much as four degrees cooler than a comparative city with little foliage.

Selecting certain trees which are best at cooling, such as the London Plane tree, the Sessile Oak and the Cherry tree, could reduce air conditioning by 13 per cent. This, according to the research, would have up to £22 million a year reducing a city’s energy consumption and would have a dramatic impact on the carbon footprint.