Ballard couple Eric Thomas and Alexandra Salmon are opening up their net-zero-energy home for a free tour and talk on Wednesday, March 14.

Last year the couple envisioned building a spacious home with big windows that would not only be highly efficient, but also produce more energy than it uses. And they were going to do it all on a budget.

In November, 2011 they moved into their new home, which was built for less than the price of a townhouse in the Ballard area.

At tomorrow's event, the couple is hosting guest speakers Aaron Fairchild and Sam Lai of Green Canopy Homes to share with people how to get the biggest bang for your buck when it comes to investing in the efficiency of your home.

Titled “Get the Biggest Bang for Your Green Remodeling Buck”, the talk is the first of the B-GREEN Ballard Green Building Talks series presented by Sustainable Ballard.

Fairchild and Lai are veterans of the green renovation and real estate industries and will point you toward the green retrofits that yield the biggest payback—both in energy savings and long-term home value.

At Green Canopy Homes it's their goal is to re-use and remodel homes in local neighborhoods using leading efficiency methods and materials, while keeping the original charm and character intact. They think long-term about their work’s impact on the environment, and seek to create a community of urban dwellers who care about their neighborhood and their footprint within it.

The 30-minute talk will be followed by refreshments and a tour Seattle’s first net-zero-energy home.

The event will take place on March 14, from 7 p.m. until 8:30 p.m. RSVP to Eric Thomas at eric@ericethomas.com for the address.