energy efficiency / renewable energy
Manufactured Home Energy Efficiency Standards
Manufactured home owners spend nearly twice the amount site-built home owners do on energy costs per square foot ($1.38 per square foot comparted to $0.74). A 2020 study found manufactured home owners had a median energy burden 39% higher than site-built home owners a quarter of those in manufactured homes spent more than 10% of their income on energy costs, which rates them as severely cost burdened. A study conducted by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Building Energy Codes Program in 2009 determined that meeting only the minimum requirements under the existing HUD code energy standards resulted in higher energy costs than any other form of energy use they studied. In addition, improved standards save not only money, but also improve health and protect lives. There were nearly 20,000 cold-weather related deaths in the United States between 1979 and 2016, and a 2018 study suggested even a 15% increase in home energy efficiency could prevent 30,000 asthma attacks each year.
There are already some manufactured homes being produced based on more efficient standards. In 2020, the manufactured housing industry shipped 94,401 homes and 30% of them (29,686) were certified as ENERGY STAR. The Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008 (HERA) required energy efficiency in the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) Program Qualified Allocation Plans. HERA required state housing finance agencies to consider energy efficiency in tax credit allocations and include energy efficiency considerations in state plans for allocating credit among projects. According to Enterprise Community Partners, 33 states require or encourage developers seeking these projects to follow the Enterprise Green Communities Criteria, which means all residential units must certify through the ENERGY STAR Residential New Construction Program using, for example, ENERGY STAR Manufactured Homes.
Energy Conservation Standards for Manufactured Homes
The energy efficiency standards for manufactured homes as governed by HUD were last changed in 1994. The Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 enacted substantial updates to federal energy building performance standards for new construction projects supported by HUD’s housing programs. It also mandated the U.S. Department of Energy, in consultation with HUD, create new standards for manufactured homes based on the most recent International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), except where the code is not cost-effective, by 2011. NMHOA participated in the rulemaking process that occurred belatedly in 2015 and produced draft standards in 2016 that were not finalized.
In 2021, the DOE proposed a tiered approach to address affordability and cost-effectiveness concerns. DOE proposed energy efficiency standards for manufactured homes that relate to the building thermal envelope; air sealing; installation of insulation; duct sealing; heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC); service hot water systems; mechanical ventilation fan efficacy; and heating and cooling equipment sizing. NMHOA was among the 234 groups and individuals that submitted comments.
On May 31, 2022, the DOE published its final manufactured housing energy conservation standards rule, which are the first-ever energy conservation standards for manufactured homes. The standards were developed from the 2021 version of the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) and stakeholder input, in consultation with the Department of Housing and Urban Development. They require specific standards be met by manufacturers for air sealing, insulation, HVAC, and other equipment and systems. Since nearly half of manufactured homes in the country use electricity for heating and cooling, these standards, in conjunction with solar installations could be transformational. Read more about the DOE’s Final Energy Conservation Standards Rule.
Manufactured home owners spend nearly twice the amount site-built home owners do on energy costs per square foot ($1.38 per square foot comparted to $0.74). A 2020 study found manufactured home owners had a median energy burden 39% higher than site-built home owners a quarter of those in manufactured homes spent more than 10% of their income on energy costs, which rates them as severely cost burdened. A study conducted by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Building Energy Codes Program in 2009 determined that meeting only the minimum requirements under the existing HUD code energy standards resulted in higher energy costs than any other form of energy use they studied. In addition, improved standards save not only money, but also improve health and protect lives. There were nearly 20,000 cold-weather related deaths in the United States between 1979 and 2016, and a 2018 study suggested even a 15% increase in home energy efficiency could prevent 30,000 asthma attacks each year.
There are already some manufactured homes being produced based on more efficient standards. In 2020, the manufactured housing industry shipped 94,401 homes and 30% of them (29,686) were certified as ENERGY STAR. The Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008 (HERA) required energy efficiency in the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) Program Qualified Allocation Plans. HERA required state housing finance agencies to consider energy efficiency in tax credit allocations and include energy efficiency considerations in state plans for allocating credit among projects. According to Enterprise Community Partners, 33 states require or encourage developers seeking these projects to follow the Enterprise Green Communities Criteria, which means all residential units must certify through the ENERGY STAR Residential New Construction Program using, for example, ENERGY STAR Manufactured Homes.
Energy Conservation Standards for Manufactured Homes
The energy efficiency standards for manufactured homes as governed by HUD were last changed in 1994. The Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 enacted substantial updates to federal energy building performance standards for new construction projects supported by HUD’s housing programs. It also mandated the U.S. Department of Energy, in consultation with HUD, create new standards for manufactured homes based on the most recent International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), except where the code is not cost-effective, by 2011. NMHOA participated in the rulemaking process that occurred belatedly in 2015 and produced draft standards in 2016 that were not finalized.
In 2021, the DOE proposed a tiered approach to address affordability and cost-effectiveness concerns. DOE proposed energy efficiency standards for manufactured homes that relate to the building thermal envelope; air sealing; installation of insulation; duct sealing; heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC); service hot water systems; mechanical ventilation fan efficacy; and heating and cooling equipment sizing. NMHOA was among the 234 groups and individuals that submitted comments.
On May 31, 2022, the DOE published its final manufactured housing energy conservation standards rule, which are the first-ever energy conservation standards for manufactured homes. The standards were developed from the 2021 version of the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) and stakeholder input, in consultation with the Department of Housing and Urban Development. They require specific standards be met by manufacturers for air sealing, insulation, HVAC, and other equipment and systems. Since nearly half of manufactured homes in the country use electricity for heating and cooling, these standards, in conjunction with solar installations could be transformational. Read more about the DOE’s Final Energy Conservation Standards Rule.
Renewable Energy and Manufactured Housing
NMHOA has worked with the Clean Energy States Alliance (CESA) to promote the use of solar energy by manufactured home owners. In 2021, CESA released a report exploring the opportunities and challenges for bringing the benefits of solar to manufactured housing residents in fourteen states. NMHOA’s executive director, Dave Anderson, served as a member of the report’s Advisory Committee. In 2021, CESA hosted a webinar discussing the report.
CESA has now established a learning network for stakeholders interested in exploring the topic of using solar to power manufactured homes. The Solar for Manufactured Homes Learning Network focused on solar for resident-owned communities (ROCs).
NMHOA has worked with the Clean Energy States Alliance (CESA) to promote the use of solar energy by manufactured home owners. In 2021, CESA released a report exploring the opportunities and challenges for bringing the benefits of solar to manufactured housing residents in fourteen states. NMHOA’s executive director, Dave Anderson, served as a member of the report’s Advisory Committee. In 2021, CESA hosted a webinar discussing the report.
CESA has now established a learning network for stakeholders interested in exploring the topic of using solar to power manufactured homes. The Solar for Manufactured Homes Learning Network focused on solar for resident-owned communities (ROCs).
