20th AEP-Built Habitat Home Dedicated in Columbus

Joining new homeowner Eugene Johnson (third from left) are AEP employees (from left) Dale Heydlauff, Jim Rosing, Dale Krummen, Bill Turns, Frankie Hejduk, a Mapfre Insurance representative, Brad Martin and Kirk Nofzinger. Photos provided by HFH-MidOhio.

(Story by Barry Schumann)

The 20th home built in central Ohio by active and retired AEP and AEP Ohio employees was dedicated in November in the Linden area of Columbus.

The home was built with a grant from the American Electric Power Foundation. The Johnson family, which partnered to provide sweat equity toward their new home,  is the 419th central Ohio family to realize the dream of home ownership since 1987, according to Habitat for Humanity-MidOhio.

“It was a pleasure to work on this year’s home,” said Jim Rosing, AEP principal architect and project co-leader. “Thanks to the AEP Foundation, AEP management for their support and to the many AEP employees, past and present for their volunteer time and hard work.”

AEP and the AEP Foundation have supported Habitat homes in central Ohio going back to 1996. Teams consisting primarily of active AEP and AEP Ohio employees and led by Rosing work to build the homes each Saturday spring through fall, when the home is dedicated and occupied by the partner family. Teams of primarily retired AEP and AEP Ohio employees led by AEP retiree Dale Krummen work on the homes each Wednesday during the same timeframe.

AEP retiree and project co-leader Dale Krummen at work.

Student-athletes from The Ohio State University joined the AEP build team one day in July as part of the university’s Buckeyes Care initiative to engage OSU athletes in the community.

All Habitat for Humanity-MidOhio homes are now constructed to conform to “green building” standards, making them as ecologically sustainable and energy efficient as possible while maintaining affordability and ease of maintenance for the low-income families served.

Since 2010 — when a $50,000 AEP Foundation grant helped the central Ohio Habitat affiliate pilot green building — the AEP Foundation has partnered to underwrite green elements that make Habitat homes more comfortable and more energy efficient with the potential to lower utility bills by as much as $400 annually. Green design elements in the newly dedicated house include:

• ENERGY STAR-certified appliances and light fixtures.
• Low-flow faucets, shower heads and toilets to reduce water waste.
• Ceiling fans in the living room and bedrooms to cool in summer and redistribute heat in the winter.
• Kitchen range hood vents to the exterior for better indoor air quality.
• Solid surface flooring on the entire first floor for durability and reduced dust and allergens for air quality.
• 14.5 SEER high-efficiency air conditioning unit and fully sealed and ducted returns to reduce energy use and improve air quality.
• Enhanced wall insulation and increased use of sealants to decrease external air infiltration and increase “R” value of walls.
• Green Label certified carpet and padding on the second floor contains recycled content.
• Continuously running dehumidifier in the basement reduces moisture levels.