This is a place to discuss manufactured housing efficiency opportunities and to keep informed about the Northwest Energy-Efficient Manufactured Housing Program's (NEEM) efforts to help the industry keep focused on improving building performance. While the NEEM program is funded by the manufactured housing industry to provide impartial third party home certification and technical support services, utilities are vitally important stakeholders. Local utility programs that incentivize the purchase of NEEM-certified homes provide strong validation that helps home buyers feel confident that they are making a worthwhile investment in energy efficiency.
NEEA, BPA, and WSU are working with NEEM program administrator, Northwest Energy Works (NEW), to investigate potential market transformation activities, the technologies best suited, and the regional alignment needed to succeed. Focus of this work falls into these three general areas:
- Federal standard ("HUD Code") changes
- Voluntary standard increases (Energy Star/NEEM)
- A "Cash for Clunkers” replacement of old homes with new efficient units
The technical potential savings of the first two is roughly 20 aMW, and the third is greater than 100 aMW depending on how you define “old”. All ideas are welcome. Reports and information are posted here as they become available.