How Energy Efficient are Today’s Manufactured Homes?
The manufactured home industry is awaiting finalization of new DOE (Department of Energy) standards that would mandate a number of manufactured home energy requirements. Those standards were to be implemented May 31st this year (2023). It would appear that those regulations will be delayed, as the proposed requirements will not conform to manufactured home factory construction procedures, policies and rules.
The Manufactured Housing Institute (MHI) has requested to delay compliance largely to give time for clarity on “noncompliance and enforcement,” and has sent a message to members encouraging them to contact the Energy Department on the matter.
The following includes excerpts from a narrative posted by White Knight – Homes of Nevada – MHVillager Blog
Homeowners are more concerned than ever about energy efficiency in their homes. Demand for energy-efficient homes is high as Americans strive to reduce their energy bills and their carbon footprints. If you’re considering buying a manufactured home, you might be wondering how to find an energy-efficient model.
Fortunately, the news is good: Manufactured homes have become steadily more energy efficient as innovation has improved building techniques and material.
EVOLUTION OF MANUFACTURED HOME ENERGY EFFICIENCY
Before there were manufactured homes, there were “mobile homes.” The descriptive words “mobile home” and “manufactured home” are not interchangeable.
Generally speaking, “mobile homes” were not constructed to any mandated energy efficiency standards. Unfortunately, there are many that believe that “mobile homes” and “manufactured homes” are one-in-the-same.
New “mobile homes” ceased to exist in 1976 when the U.S. Congress passed legislation establishing a Federal Code (HUD Code) officially and legally designating the new factory built homes as “manufactured homes.”
In 2016, the Department of Energy put out a new set of standards for making manufactured homes even more energy efficient. These standards are designed to save manufactured homeowners up to 30 percent on their energy bills, meaning that current, and future generations of manufactured homes will offer the greatest energy efficiency yet.
ENERGY EFFICIENCY STANDARDS FOR TODAY’S MANUFACTURED HOMES
New manufactured homes are produced with energy efficiency in mind. Their HVAC systems are designed to equalize temperatures across a home’s heating and cooling zones, and their walls, floors and roofs are made from combinations of state-of-the-art building materials that improve the home’s R-value. (The rate at which its insulating materials prevent flow of heat).
Clayton Homes, the nation’s largest producer of manufactured housing, provides an example of R-values that buyers can expect from a modern, energy-efficient manufactured home. Homes with Clayton’s Energy Smart Home package includes R-values of:
- Walls: R-11
- Ceilings: R-33 or R-30 for vaulted ceilings
- Floors: R-22
Many of the best-energy-efficient homes now come with certifications from Energy Star, the government program that helps buyers identify more energy-efficient products. Buyers can expect all the following from Energy Star manufactured homes.
- Superior insulation
- Tighter and more efficient ductwork
- Highly efficient hot water systems
- Energy-efficient windows.
Since manufactured homes are built in factories, a builder’scan also fine-tune the manufacturing process to ensure quality control. That’s critical to ensure that manufactured homes are consistently built for maximum energy efficiency and year-round performance.
