What started out as a year-long experiment for a family of six has spawned the construction of the first Bosch Net-Zero home, a type of house that give off no emissions, in the United States.

The Chicago Tribune reports that back in 2010, the family moved into a home in New Brunswick, Canada that had been built through a collaboration with Eco Plus Group USA, a construction company devoted to energy efficiency, and appliance maker Bosch.

"The house we built generated enough electricity for two families," Tom Black, vice president of Eco Plus Group USA, told the Chicago Tribune.

The home looked like any other in the neighborhood with the exception of solar panels placed on the roof. Inside, the space was filled with environmentally friendly features such as appliances that conserved power and a water filtration system.

After one year residing in the home, the family had spent no money on utility bills. This inspired the two companies to take their experiment stateside and construct a net-zero house in Serenbe, Georgia.

Serenbe is a sustainable living community in Georgia's Chattahoochee Hills that was developed to be a national model for energy efficient living. Governor Nathan Deal invited Black to view the development and consider building the first Bosch net-zero home on the 1,000-acre development.

The source reports that the new home will go on sale for almost $500,000, but Black estimates that it will pay for itself in four to five years through savings on utility costs.

Homeowners who are not in the market for a new house but still would like to save on their utility bills should seek an energy audit from a home inspection contractor. This way, they can understand how to lower monthly expenses by making environmentally friendly fixes to their property.