Tom and Verona Chambers, owners of the first GreenMax Home in Black River Falls, Wis.

GreenMax Home to achieve net zero energy use

With financial and technical assistance from WPPI Energy, homeowners Tom and Verona Chambers completed their net zero energy home (NZEH) in Black River Falls in 2009. This home, the first owner-designed and inhabited home of its kind in the region, is designed to produce at least as much energy as it uses. It was built with the assistance of a $50,000 grant from WPPI Energy through the GreenMax Home initiative.

June 2009 was the first month for which data on the home's energy use was available. The early results are promising, as the Chambers used 486 kWh of energy and produced 1,103 kilowatt-hours (kWh), for a net gain of 527 kWh. Any excess energy is fed back to the utility grid. The home's energy use can be tracked on the GreenMax Home web site.

The Chambers' GreenMax Home uses state-of-the-art energy efficiency technology, a commitment to energy-saving behaviors and renewable energy systems to achieve net zero energy status. The Chambers, working with WPPI Energy, will continue to monitor and fine-tune their energy use and behavior to ensure that they meet the net zero energy goal. Two additional GreenMax Home projects are anticipated for 2009.

For more information, visit www.greenmaxhome.com.