WHEN: Saturday, December 17, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., and Sunday, December 18, 12 p.m. to 4 p.m.
WHERE: The Bahe home is located at 9804 20th Street, Stanley, Iowa.
DIRECTIONS: Go north of Aurora on W45 to 20th Street and 3.5 miles east; or, go east of Oelwein on Highway 3 to J. Avenue, then south two miles to 20th Street and east .5 mile.
On December 17 and 18, Joe and Lisa Bahe and East-Central Iowa REC will host an open house for the Bahe’s Model Home. All are welcome to attend!
The Bahe’s 1,920 square foot home features state-of-the-art technology in the areas of environment, indoor air quality, enhanced indoor and exterior lighting, water quality, personal safety and security, and energy efficiency.
“The home exceeds all current building and construction codes, especially in the area of energy efficiency,” said Member Services Director Frank Weber. “It far exceeds the State of Iowa Model Energy Code verified through the REScheck software.”
The home’s hydronic in-floor heating is provided by a three-ton geothermal heat pump, and the forced air heating and cooling is provided by an additional three-ton geothermal heat pump. The geothermal heat pumps have a COP of over 4.8, an EER of 28.2, and are listed as Energy Star-rated—which qualifies them for a 30% tax credit and utility rebates.
“A number of features exhibit the high quality of life offered by an all-electric model home,” Frank adds. These features include refrigerator, microwave, dishwasher, clothes washer and dryer, and garbage disposal; a no-vent electric water heater using an on-demand ground source heat pump and an integrated heat pump water heater; multi-speed ceiling fans that limit stratification; a whole-house fire alarm system and full security system; and a 200-amp double throw switch for a standby generator.
The home also features fluorescent lighting, and all appliances in the home are Energy Star-rated, including the refrigerator, dishwasher, and clothes washer. Energy Star-rated appliances are typically 20% more efficient than standard models.
Installed as well is an air-air heat exchanger to introduce fresh outside air while exhausting stale contaminated indoor air. The home has a sealed sump system, limiting the entry of radon into the home.
The exterior walls of the home use 2 x 6 framing with wet-blown cellulose insulation, and foam sheathing is used for the foundation insulation to reduce the heating and cooling equipment size installed. Windows are triple glazed and “low E” to reduce heat loss in winter and heat gain in summer.
