Black River Falls, WI (7/15/2008)
Homeowners Tom and Verona Chambers broke ground on what is expected to be one of the first net zero energy homes (NZEH) in the region. The Chambers are the first
participants in Wisconsin Public Power Inc.'s (WPPI) GreenMax Home program, a program that assists
homeowners in WPPI member communities to build and live in homes with net zero energy use.
A NZEH has the potential to produce as much energy as it uses. Through WPPI's GreenMax Home program, the Chambers have designed and are constructing a net zero home that combines state-of-the-art, energy efficient
construction and appliances with commercially available renewable energy systems.
"WPPI and its members are committed to helping customers take advantage of renewable energy
technologies and become more efficient with their energy use," said Vice President of Customer Services and
Administration Tom Paque. "The GreenMax Home has the potential to be the first of many innovative home
building projects for residents in WPPI member communities, and we are excited to work with the Chambers and learn from this project."
The total incremental cost to move the home from highly efficient to net zero is $90,000. WPPI is providing a $50,000 grant to help fund the construction of the home and its renewable and mechanical systems. Focus on Energy is expected to provide nearly $15,000 in funding primarily based on the installation of the solar
photovoltaic (PV) system, and the Chambers are expecting to get a $2,000 federal tax credit for the PV system. The remaining $23,000 of incremental cost will be paid by the Chambers.
At minimum, the Chambers' GreenMax Home will supply an annual output of electricity to the electric power grid that is equal to the amount of power purchased from the grid, resulting in a "net zero" impact on the nation's energy supply. The entire energy consumption - heating, cooling and appliances - of the Chambers' home will be provided by renewable energy sources, thereby providing protection against rising energy costs. Any excess energy generated by the home is fed back into the grid.
This type of distributed generation lowers the electrical energy demand of its local utility provider, Black
River Falls Municipal Utilities - a member of WPPI - and reduces the operation of expensive peak generation
power plants during periods of high-demand electrical use. At the same time, the power generated locally at the
Chambers' home and connected directly to the local distribution system will help reduce congestion on high-voltage transmission lines that bring power into communities.
The Chambers' home is anticipated to be the first practical production of a NZEH in the region that can be
reasonably and affordably replicated in a cold climate region. It is also anticipated to be the first net zero energy
project where the homeowners will design, construct and inhabit the residence while monitoring behavior to verify
net zero energy status.
"Through monitoring and testing, we hope to learn lessons about home building designs, technologies and
occupant behaviors that can be affordably replicated and applied in our other member communities, and
everywhere," said Paque.
Key design features of the home include:
- Simple box design - 3,100 square feet of conditioned space
- All electric home
- 2' x 8' stud walls
- 24" on center stud walls
- Highly efficient insulation for the exterior walls, attic and basement
- Ground source heat pump that extracts heat from the ground and uses it to heat the home
- 5.76 kW PV system
- Structural plumbing to reduce the loss of heat through hot water pipes
- Air sealing to reduce drafts
- A two-part ventilation system
- ENERGY STARŪ rated windows
- All ENERGY STAR appliances
"This has been an exciting and long process for us, but we look forward to living in a comfortable and attractive home," said Tom Chambers. "Designing a net zero home involves compromise and trade-offs as you focus on integrating green design ideas and engineering techniques, but we have been compensated in the design concept and architecture of our home."
One of the most important features of the home will be the Chambers' commitment to the efficient use of energy. The couple will work with WPPI to monitor their energy use and fine-tune the home's performance to ensure that its energy use is truly net zero.
"We look forward to not having a utility bill to pay at the end of the month, and everything has turned out
better than we could have expected," said Verona Chambers. "This has been an amazing educational experience for us, and we hope people will view our home as a model to improve energy efficiency."
WPPI established the GreenMax Home program as part of its ongoing commitment to encourage public and community support for renewable energy, energy conservation and energy efficiency. WPPI expects to accept a second round of applications for GreenMax Home funding in late 2008. For more information, visit
www.greenmaxhome.com.
Contact:
Patty Schenker
tel: (608) 834-4598
email: pschenker@wppienergy.org
