“Most people aren’t even thinking about a net-zero home just because it costs them so much. They’re a little intimidated by the whole process,” Pulvermacher says.

The grants WPPI provides help make up the extra costs homeowners incur in building net-zero energy homes versus standard homes. But even with a maximum grant of $50,000, the Chambers faced a three-headed monster when designing their home: energy efficiency, feasibility and aesthetics.

“It has to be compact, like a European car,” Verona says. “It has to run smoothly, it has to use, hopefully, no energy. It has to be compact but good-looking and sleek.” The most difficult part, she adds, is finding what works best for you.

“The problem you run into is you get too much information, and you get people who want to sell their products. Of course they tell you that theirs is the best,” Verona says. “And so you have to then go around and around and ask again and again in order to really find out what is good for you. Sometimes things are good for a certain type of house but wouldn’t be good for us. You want to have a certain style of living also.”

Pulvermacher knows not everyone has the time and perseverance to plow through the design and building process Tom and Verona did. “Everybody is out there making a lot of green claims, and it’s a little tough to sift through all that information,” he says. “Either a homeowner needs to be willing to spend a lot of time to do it, or they need to get in contact with someone who does this all the time, has a lot of background in it and will give simple answers.”

Although the Chambers spent countless hours conducting their own research, they wisely brought on a team of energy experts to help them develop the most cost-effective design possible. Eric Skinner was one of those experts. An independent energy consultant, Skinner worked with the couple to ensure their home would not only be energy efficient, but also comfortable, durable and safe. Using computer software, he predicted near-zero energy consumption for their home.

“So we get comfort, safety and durability nailed, and if we do that, we automatically get energy efficiency in these homes,” Skinner says. “We can’t tackle it the other way around. ... It’s a dangerous thing to do without addressing the safety and durability.”

Skinner also works with existing homeowners to increase the energy efficiency of their homes. He advises homeowners against trying to tighten up their homes on their own, which can be a safety hazard. For a fee of $300, Skinner will perform a series of tests to evaluate a home’s energy efficiency. He then uses computer software to predict possible energy savings over a year if certain improvements are made.

The Chambers contacted Skinner through Focus on Energy, a program administered by the Wisconsin Energy Conservation Corporation that works with Wisconsin residents and businesses to implement cost-effective, energy-efficient and renewable-energy projects. Focus on Energy’s website provides an array of information on renewable energy, certified consultants and tax incentives, providing a good starting place for novice homebuilders interested in energy efficiency.

With the advice of experts like Skinner and their extensively researched and revised plan in hand, Tom and Verona finally broke ground on their home they hope will produce the big “0” at the end of the year.