In 2009, the Humane Society of North Central Iowa was in dire need of a new shelter to service a seven-county area. Its old facility consisted of two buildings with a combined size of 2,500 square feet and an annual energy bill of $25,000. Thanks to donations and fundraising efforts, the society was in a position to commission a new 10,000-square-foot facility with 32 indoor/outdoor kennels, offices, a veterinarian room, a training room, and a community center. Architectural plans were drawn up to improve air quality for employees and pets, remove humidity from kennel areas, separate kennel air from the community area, prevent odor infiltration, and provide superior energy savings.
Although the project had to be redesigned more than once, the Almost Home Animal Shelter in Fort Dodge, Iowa, has now been efficiently operating for more than a year with a dedicated outdoor air system (DOAS) and an integral energy recovery wheel.