Return to Fast Fact Library

An in-depth analysis assessing urban tree cover and its impact on residential building energy use in the coterminous United States estimates a reduction of 38.8. million MWh or $4.7 billion in electricity use and 246 MMBtus or $3.9 billion in heating use annually. The estimated collective reduction in national residential energy use attributable to trees is 7.2%.

Nowak, David J., Nathaniel Appleton, Alexis Ellis, and Eric Greenfield. (2017). Residential building energy conservation and avoided power plant emissions by urban and community trees in the United States. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening 21: 158-165. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ufug.2016.12.004

Topics

Energy use, Trees, Resilience

The LPS Fast Fact Library is a collection of short summaries of landscape benefits derived from published research. The Landscape Architecture Foundation (LAF) compiles and writes the Fast Facts. LAF has no involvement in the data collection, analysis, review, publication, or funding of the research. If you have questions or comments on the Fast Fact Library itself, contact us at email hidden; JavaScript is required.

Help build the LPS: Find out how to submit a case study and other ways to contribute.