Overview
DOE prioritizes access to energy-efficient and affordable housing for all Americans, including more than 22 million Americans who live in manufactured homes. DOE conducts research and provides resources for consumers and other buildings stakeholders on manufactured homes, which is summarized here. Like site-built homes, new manufactured homes can be designed for energy efficiency and renewable energy. Because manufactured homes must comply with different energy standards than site-built homes and are constructed in a factory environment, this sector of the housing industry has its own unique set of challenges. In recent years, the manufactured housing sector has improved energy efficiency through programs like EPA’s ENERGY STAR® Manufactured New Homes, while the additional energy-efficiency requirements of the DOE Efficient New Homes program have been hard to reach for manufacturers.
From January 1, 2023, to June 30, 2026, the section 45L New Energy Efficient Home Credit provides a $5,000 tax credit to builders for most certified DOE Efficient New Homes, including eligible manufactured homes. An incentivized DOE Efficient New Homes certification for manufactured homes is a tremendous opportunity to substantially lower energy bills and improve home durability for millions of low to moderate income American households in coming years.
Pilot Program Development
To take advantage of this new opportunity afforded by the section 45L credit, DOE quickly developed DOE Efficient New Homes program requirements for manufactured homes. Due to the condensed time frame, there was insufficient time to conduct a full public review of the new program requirements in draft form. Therefore, DOE decided to launch the new DOE Efficient New Homes Manufactured Homes National Program Requirements Version 1 as a pilot program – see detailed requirements in the sections below.
The intent of the pilot program is to give manufacturers an immediate path to certification and eligibility for the $5,000 tax credit in 2023, while simultaneously allowing time to conduct research and solicit feedback from all interested stakeholders to improve the program and identify innovative methods and products to help industry participate cost-efficiently in coming years. To that end, subject to appropriations, DOE will be committing resources to support research into manufacturing methods, innovations, and techniques for achieving DOE Efficient New Homes certification for manufactured homes in coming years. In addition, DOE is conducting continued stakeholder engagement throughout the pilot period.
Space Type Eligibility
Only manufactured homes are eligible to be certified through the DOE Efficient New Homes Manufactured Homes program. A manufactured home is a home built in a factory according to the federal Manufactured Home Construction and Safety Standards (24 CFR 3280). A certified DOE Efficient New Homes manufactured home is a home that meets all criteria in the DOE Efficient New Homes Manufactured Homes National Program Requirements built in a plant that has been certified by an independent third party.
Site-built and modular single-family homes and multifamily buildings may not earn the DOE Efficient New Homes Manufactured Homes certification but may be eligible for certification through other DOE Efficient New Homes programs.
Program Requirements
DOE Efficient New Homes Manufactured Homes Version 1 (Rev. 1) (publication forthcoming)
DOE ZERH Manufactured Homes Version 1
Requirements for Third-Party Verification
All DOE Efficient New Homes manufactured homes and plants must be certified under the oversight of a recognized quality assurance provider, which is an organization that supervises the third-party inspections required for plant certification, home labeling, and ongoing plant certification and maintenance. The QA provider may fulfill these responsibilities itself, or may use qualified, independent, third-party consultants. Until DOE recognizes QA providers for the DOE Efficient New Homes program, DOE will recognize EPA-recognized QA providers. A list of EPA-recognized QA providers can be found at www.energystar.gov/manufacturedhomes. For more details on DOE Efficient New Homes certifications, see the DOE-Recognized Certification Organizations page. This page also contains the DOE Efficient New Homes Manufactured Homes Version 1: Certification, Enforcement, and Reporting Guide, which has information regarding the certification, enforcement, and reporting process and requirements for plants assembling DOE Efficient New Homes manufactured homes.