Landscape as Part of Passive Design
These Crape Myrtle trees (Lagerstroemia) are now in full bloom.
Native to Asia, particularly China, this is an especially elegant tree and one that is very well adapted to our Mediterranean climate. It has a relatively compact form, a light canopy, a smooth and very distinctive trunk and, between July and September, an exuberant flowering season. In this case, with vivid pink, almost fuchsia flowers grouped in large clusters.
But there is another characteristic that makes it particularly interesting: it is deciduous.
In summer, the canopy provides shade to façades and outdoor spaces; in winter, once the leaves have fallen, it allows more solar radiation to reach the building.
In a Passive House, solar control is primarily defined by the geometry and orientation of the building and by the shading solutions incorporated into the design. Vegetation and landscape design can complement that strategy.
Shade in summer, sun in winter, and an extraordinary flowering display during the warmer months.
(Photographed near my home in an urban setting.)
