Like site-built homes, new manufactured homes (formerly known as mobile homes) can be designed for energy efficiency and renewable energy. You can also remodel or retrofit older manufactured homes to improve energy efficiency and/or add renewable energy equipment. Manufactured homes are built in a factory on a permanent chassis, then transported to a building site and installed.

New Manufactured Home Purchasing Guide

Today’s energy-efficient manufactured homes offer a housing option that is affordable, comfortable, and resilient. Manufactured homes are available in a wide variety of designs and floorplans similar to site-built homes. DOE’s Affordable and Energy Efficient Manufactured Housing website can help you understand available options for selecting and financing the purchase of your new home. You can also find information on how to improve the energy efficiency of an older home and information on utility, state or local incentives and financial assistance that may be available.

Manufactured Home Energy-Efficient Retrofit Measures

The following energy efficiency improvements can substantially reduce heat loss in manufactured homes:

  • Install energy-efficient windows and doors
  • Add insulation to the belly
  • Make general repairs (caulking, ducts, etc.)
  • Add insulation to your walls
  • Install insulated skirting
  • Install a belly wrap
  • Add insulation to your roof or install a roof cap.

Experiments conducted on pre-1976 manufactured homes by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) found that these retrofit measures resulted in a 31% reduction in heating fuel usage.

There are three common methods used to add roof insulation to the existing cavity: drilling and tube blowing from the inside, drilling and tube blowing from the top, and rolling back the roof and blowing into the now open cavity. Instead of filling the existing cavity, some installers prefer to use roof caps for insulating.

Blowing loose-fill insulation into an existing manufactured home is difficult because of the narrowness of the wall and roof cavities. Pre-1976 home walls often have only 2-inch by 2-inch studs (5.08 cm × 5.08 cm) (new manufactured houses are required to have at least 2-inch by 4-inch [5.08 cm × 10.16 cm] studs), and roof trusses complicate the process of adding more roof insulation.

Blowing insulation into wall or ceiling cavities and/or installing roof caps is a job for a trained professional with proper equipment. Neither activity should be attempted by even the most capable do-it-yourselfer, as permanent structural damage and/or personal injury could easily result. A good source for a recommendation of a capable contractor-installer would probably be the Weatherization Department of your local Community Action Agency. 

To further improve your manufactured home's energy efficiency, consider:

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Manufactured Home Renewable Energy Applications

You can use renewable energy to provide electricity, heating, and cooling for your manufactured home. Renewable energy systems not only lower energy costs, but also reduce pollution from fossil fuels.

You might consider:

  • Installing a geothermal heat pump (GHP), also known as ground source heat pumps, which can provide space heating and cooling. GHPs are most cost-effective to install at the same time as the manufactured home. The systems can’t be moved, so GHPs only work for permanently sited manufactured homes.
  • Using passive solar design by adding a sunspace, orienting the home to maximize solar exposure, landscaping for energy efficiency, and using shading devices.
  • Investigating solar water heating. Although the lightweight construction of some manufactured homes limits roof support for heavy solar collectors, you can use lightweight roof-mounted air collectors for water heating or install the heavier liquid-type solar collectors on the ground. These systems are best suited for manufactured homes that are seldom moved.
  • Installing solar electric or photovoltaic (PV) systems, which are light enough to install on the roof of a manufactured home.
  • Installing a small wind electric system to generate electricity if your manufactured home is or will be located in a rural area on at least one acre of land.
  • Installing a microhydropower system to generate electricity if your manufactured home is or will be located where you have access to flowing water. Although you can move a microhydropower system, you can't take the hydropower resource with you, which makes these systems best suited for permanently sited manufactured homes.

Manufactured Home HUD Code Requirements

Manufactured homes are subject to the Manufactured Home Construction and Safety Standards or “HUD Code” rather then local building codes, and display a red certification label on the exterior of each transportable section. The HUD code is a set of manufactured home industry standards published and maintained by HUD that establishes standards for design and construction, strength and durability, fire resistance, energy efficiency, transportability, and quality control. It also sets performance standards for the heating and air conditioning, plumbing, thermal, and electrical systems.