Manufactured homes (sometimes called mobile homes) make up about 7% of the new homes built each year and are an essential source of affordable housing—about half of residents are low-income. However, new manufactured homes are subject to weak federal energy efficiency standards that have not been updated in nearly three decades.
The Department of Energy (DOE) has proposed a new, two-tiered standard that would be less stringent for cheaper manufactured homes. Though the proposed standard is intended to protect affordability for low-income residents, it will result in the most vulnerable residents receiving lower quality homes and higher energy bills.
