Tree Shade and Thermal Performance of Housing in Western Sydney, Aus-tralia

摘要

The potential benefits of tree shade in reducing the heat-related health risk and cooling energy requirements of a typical low income Western Sydney house were investigated using numerical building simulations. Results were generated for recent climate (2000) and projected future climates (2030 and 2070) for a range of different tree shade scenarios. In terms of heat-related health risk, the more trees that shade the house, the more this risk is reduced. It is not quite as straightforward when considering the impact of tree shade on building energy requirements. Under the recent climate scenario, tree shade to the east and west of the house performed best, as there was minimal impact on winter heating. This seasonal trade-off diminishes with climate change, as the requirement for cooling energy dominates. By 2070, evergreen trees to the north provide net energy reductions, challenging conventional design practice regarding solar access.