North Carolina's first neighborhood of net-zero homes being built in Orange County

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (WTVD) -- Families from California, Indiana and Texas are relocating to the Triangle specifically to live in a brand new sustainable community.

The development is being called North Carolina's first net-zero community. Construction is already underway on the community's inaugural home, which can be found about 15 miles west of Chapel Hill.

The ceilings soar two stories in the Williams' new home and natural light streams through the space in seemingly every direction.

The couple lives in West Virginia now, but they want to move to North Carolina to be near great health care and step up how self-sufficient they're living.

"Energy costs are a major concern," said Marti Williams. "We're hoping not to increase our carbon footprint."

"With all the issues that are going on with the environment and the climate today, we wanted to do our part," said Ken Williams.

Homes in the new Array Sustainable Living community are being built to generate enough energy to run the entire household.

It is being accomplished with Energy Star appliances, solar power and advanced framing techniques.

"You're your own mini power plant as a way to generate electricity," said builder Vince DeFreitas.

The developers have been working years on this eco-friendly project.

"It's the first neighborhood (in North Carolina) where all of the houses will be 100 percent net-zero energy," said developer Jodi Bakst. "It is not rocket science. There are builders doing it all across the country. They're not here as much as they are in other places and we want to show that it could be done."

These homes will be placed on the power grid as a back-up and if they produce more energy than needed, the power company will buy it back.

"It takes a village, if you will, to get all of that solar on the grid and adding all that solar resources to the grid helps to expand clean energy across the state, reduce carbon that we're using," said Duke Energy Spokesperson Jeff Brooks.

The Williamses will be moving into their net-zero home in November, just in time to host the holidays and start seeing some savings.

"We're looking forward to having my mom and sister come from Arkansas and stay with us a while," said Ken Williams.