Shade trees are a great way to naturally keep your home cooler in the summer. In fact, trees planted to optimize shading can reduce energy use by up to 25% when compared to a typical household, according to the Department of Energy.
Because shade trees are so effective at keeping homes cool, we offer the SRP Shade Tree Program™, where SRP customers can save money on their electricity bill while adding beauty to their homes.
After attending an SRP Shade Tree workshop, customers can receive up to two free desert-adapted trees that will grow to shade their homes, which can help reduce cooling costs.
The workshops also provide customers with a wealth of knowledge about tree placement and maintenance, available tree species, water and energy conservation, and more.
Hear from SRP customers and employees who have attended and benefitted from the workshops.
Program participant stories
Thousands of SRP customers benefit from the SRP Shade Tree Program each year. Scott Lorent, an SRP customer for more than 30 years, who is also an SRP employee, received a tree just over five years ago from the SRP Shade Tree Program. He enjoys it not only for the shade it provides, but also for the beauty it adds to his home.
“I signed up to get just one tree, a thornless paloverde. It’s a hybrid tree with orange flowers that blossom in the spring. It’s really pretty,” said Lorent. “It took probably five years to get almost 20 feet tall. It finally looped over the house right where I wanted it to, and I had this amazing shade.”
“One day, my grandson and I put a thermometer in the shade provided by the tree, and we put one out in the sun. The thermometer in the sun was 90-something degrees and the one by the shade tree was 82 degrees. There was a big difference with the shade. It’s important to have those trees around.”
Dulce Martinez, an SRP employee since 2018 and an SRP customer for over 20 years, shared the benefits she received from attending the workshop.
“You gain so much knowledge. They literally teach you everything you need to know such as the location of where to plant the trees, how to plant them and how to water them,” said Martinez. “After participating in the webinar, you’re given PowerPoints and further information on how to maintain your trees. Other than the trees themselves, I gained knowledge that I use every day. I think this is one of the best programs SRP offers.”
Now Martinez’s thornless mesquite and desert willow trees are growing strong and providing her home with more and more shade each year.
Lori Gonzales, a customer and an SRP employee for nearly 20 years, also shared her experience.
“I only had space for one tree, so I got the willow acacia. It is a fast-growing tree. I would say by the second year, we had a little bit of shade already,” she said. “I planted it on the southwest corner of my lot. It shaded my downstairs bedroom, which was noticeably cooler by not having the direct south sun coming in the window. Because the willow acacia has flowers, we actually got some hummingbirds and other little critters that we wouldn’t have had if we didn’t have the tree.”
The SRP Shade Tree Program is a great opportunity for SRP customers to save energy and beautify their homes, which helps the Valley continue to thrive.