Could a tree planting mandate in new builds combat rising suburban heat?

As tenants and landlords around the country worry about the habitability of housing in the face of increasingly hot summers, one group is suggesting Australia should return to the past to help prepare for the future.

suburban trees spi

A 30 per cent decline in residential trees has made our neighbourhoods hotter and pushed up Australians’ home energy costs, according to a report from the University of South Australia (UniSA).

New housing subdivisions, smaller yards and a dependence on air conditioning are the main reasons trees have been removed and never replaced, UniSA said.

In addition, councils’ focus on parks and urban reforestation to account for the loss doesn’t do anything to help the fact that temperatures are overall higher where houses are grouped together in neighbourhoods.

A recent study of 90 Australian residential suburbs showed that yards that included trees provided as much as a 30-metre buffer around each unit of land during summer heatwaves.

The recent, dramatic loss of suburban trees has led to UniSA environmental researchers calling for new national planning policies to mandate the inclusion of trees in any development or housing design.

Architect and UniSA PhD candidate Mina Rouhollahi, along with her colleagues at UniSA, has designed an optimal tree strategy for different housing configurations, identifying specific tree types, tree volumes, and correct placement to achieve maximum benefits.

They particularly favour deciduous trees, which provide shade in summer while allowing sunlight to penetrate in the winter, and note that the benefits extend beyond energy-saving measures.

“Private land tree planting provides a better environment for children, improving urban aesthetics and increasing home values,” Ms Rouhollahi said. She also noted that they have the capacity to help reduce stormwater runoff.

Additionally, a recent report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) noted that strategic tree planting could cut the future risks of blackouts by cooling homes and therefore alleviating pressure on the grid.

Contemporary attitudes towards landscaping and design are all that stand in the way of implementation, according to Ms Rouhollahi.

“Australians have the power to influence the design process, requesting tree allocation when building or buying their home, in the same way they insisted on a double garage in the 1990s,” she noted.

“Redesigning our homes with trees in mind will better serve residents, cities, and the environment. Trees have numerous benefits: they shield us from the sun, provide wind protection, reduce stormwater runoff, passive cooling and natural ventilation. The net result is a more energy efficient home, lower energy costs, reduced air conditioning, CO2 emissions and less polluted air”. 

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