Half a croissant, on a plate, with a sign in front of it saying '50c'
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Whole House Shade

Save on cooling costs by shading your entire house.
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Trees provide great shade in the summer to lower cooling costs for your home, but what if the numbskull who lived in the house before you planted trees too far from the house to provide any shade? Planting new trees closer will take decades to grow large enough - in the meantime, Whole House Shades provides passive cooling to lower your energy costs.

Sturdy supports are installed around the southern exposure of your home - some to the east and west, depending on the latitude of your house, and how far over the house the shade will have to cover. Between the posts, heavy-duty (nylon?) cords support the sturdy weather-proof shade. The cover is attractively styled, with different pattern available, and openings in it which provide shade, but allow winds to pass through with minimal resistance.

The Whole House Shade can be lowered quickly in the event of severe storms, or just removing for the colder months.

trekbody, Jun 22 2006

Coolaroo Shade Sails http://www.backyard...-Sails-Coolaroo.htm
I imagined something like these, but scaled up to house size. [trekbody, Jun 22 2006]

40 kilometers of "shade" http://christojeanneclaude.net/rf.shtml
in case you haven't ever seen this, your idea reminded me of it [xandram, Jun 26 2006]

[link]






       Offer a model with a mansion painted on one side, and a forest painted on the other.
Worldgineer, Jun 22 2006
  

       It doesn't take decades to plant trees, only to grow them does.
BJS, Jun 22 2006
  

       Valid correction BJS - I actually have the trees planted, it's the wait that's killing me. I'll fix the idea.
trekbody, Jun 22 2006
  

       I like that Worldgineer - perhaps just a nice field of grass - then I won't have to mow - but I was thinking the shade would start about 10' above ground - so you could actually see the house, but perhaps total camoflage (sp?) could be an option. : )
trekbody, Jun 22 2006
  

       house silhouette shaped balloon on a string..... just a wee suggestion! Those sails are very boring - I just looked at them
xenzag, Jun 22 2006
  

       for the costs to buy a fabric structure this size, you could by trees big enough to provide the shade. also imagine the force on the shade when the wind starts blowing
tatmkr, Jun 22 2006
  

       Tatmkr - thanks for the suggestions - like I said, the trees take a long time to get big enough to get to the height to shade a house - especially if they are a bit farther away from the house. I would have the shade slotted to reduce wind resistance, but yes, it would have to be taken down in a storm.
trekbody, Jun 26 2006
  

       Xenzag - the house-silhouette shaped balloon is wacky. But I like it : ).
trekbody, Jun 26 2006
  
      
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