U.S Department of Energy Beginning Development of
Energy Efficiency Standards for Manufactured Housing

Section 413 of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA) requires the Department of Energy to establish "standards for energy efficiency in manufactured housing" within 4 years (by December 2011). Those standards would be in addition to and are expected to eventually replace the energy efficiency standards in the current HUD regulations (24 CFR Part 3280), commonly known as the HUD-code. EISA requires that the standards be based on the most recent version (including supplements) of the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), with potential adjustments in stringency based on impacts of the provisions on the purchase price of the home and total life cycle construction and operating costs. A link to the text of Section 413 is here (PDF 9 KB).

The Department of Energy has started development of the manufactured housing energy efficiency standards. The Department will base its work on the direction provided in EISA Section 413.

In conducting its work the Department will build upon previous analyses it has conducted on energy efficiency options for manufactured homes. Tasks to be undertaken include the following:

• Conduct of the necessary technical and economic analysis to guide the Department in adapting the 2009 IECC for application to manufactured housing.
• Conducting needed analysis on climate zone designations and the ability to use current HUD climate zones.
• Identification of information and data needed to effectively conduct the needed work and reaching out to industry, advocates and relevant stakeholders to secure that information.
• Interacting with HUD as directed in Section 413.
• Addressing analysis needed pursuant to Federal law and Executive Orders relevant to the rulemaking being undertaken by the Department.
• Assessing the current "HUD Code" to ensure that the energy standards developed will not compromise other provisions of the code and can be readily implemented within the current conformity assessment programs of HUD applicable to manufactured housing.
• Evaluation of other issues that would impact the Department's work such as opportunities provided by factory construction and interaction with other programs such as ENERGY STAR.

The Department expects to publish a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NOPR) in early 2010 that will be followed by a public comment period that will include a public meeting on the NOPR. Check back to this webpage for updates on progress on the development of the manufactured housing energy efficiency code.

Additional Resources

Update on the status of the effort to develop the DOE energy standard for manufactured housing (PDF 1.1 MB).

National Energy Savings Potential in HUD-Code Housing from Thermal Envelope and HVAC Equipment Improvements, June 2007 (PDF 1.9 MB)

Report on energy and manufactured housing—Revision of the Energy-Efficiency Requirements in the Manufactured Home Construction and Safety Standards, June 2004 (PDF 5.3 MB)