**3.2 Shading through vegetation**

Proper shading of building surfaces is an effective method to reduce the undesirable thermal load, especially during periods of high-intensity solar radiation, such as the summer period of the year. The effectiveness of shade is largely dependent on canopy spread, the height of the trees, and the location of trees & shrubs within the site. One of the best methods to reduce the air temperature is by providing shade to the building roof, south-west &west facing walls & windows. This also helps in hastening early evening cooling. South-facing roof & wall surfaces have to be shaded as these surfaces receive the majority of direct sunlight when the sun is higher in the sky. Proper plants have to be provided for shading the east or westfacing surfaces as these surfaces receive direct sunlight in the morning & afternoon. Deciduous trees can be used to block the sunlight during the summer period. Sun crosses the sky at a lower angle during the winter period but proper planting of tall trees or trimming up the branches helps to achieve desirable winter sunlight. The ambient temperature around the structure as well as the indoor temperature can be reduced to some degree by shading other parts of the building & its adjacent site. The landscape design of the site is also an important tool to reduce the reflected light towards a building from surrounding surfaces (**Figure 6**).

Vine covered frames or pergolas & high bushes can also be used for shading the surfaces. One main advantage of a newly planted vine is that it can provide shade much earlier than a newly planted tree. It is an effective method to cover east and west-facing surfaces by vertical vine-covered trellis while horizontal trellis can be used on any orientation. Bushes can be used on north-facing surfaces to block the low sun (**Figure 7**).
