New high-performance spec delivers big energy savings, could
reinvigorate manufactured home market
(BOTHELL, WA) -- Puget Sound Energy, Habitat for Humanity
Seattle-King County and Bonneville Power Administration are hosting a tour of a
new, high-performance manufactured home, July 31, in Bothell, just north of
Seattle. The prototype home incorporates some of the latest energy-saving
features and technology, including a ductless heat pump, heat pump water
heater, efficient lighting, triple-glazed windows, foam sheathing on exterior
walls and added insulation.
- What: Tour new, super-efficient manufactured home
- When: Thursday, July 31 at 10 a.m.
- Where: 18903 129th Ave NE, Bothell, WA 98011 (Holly Hills Area)
- Who: Meet the new homeowners, project sponsors, builder and vendors
“Manufactured homes built to this new high-performance spec
have durability and performance features that could change opinions about
factory-built homes and be an integral part of our super-efficient 21st century
utility system,” says Christopher Dymond, senior product manager with Northwest
Energy Efficiency Alliance, an alliance of more than 140 Northwest utilities
and energy efficiency organizations.
While the prototype may represent the manufactured home of
the future, the Norahun family is simply excited to call it home. “We can’t
wait to see our new home for the first time and learn more about its unique
features,” says Tesfaye Norahun. “We’re so happy that we’ll finally have a home
to call our own, but also that it won’t cost us a lot of money to run and
maintain.”
The Norahuns are purchasing the home through Habitat for
Humanity Seattle-King County’s affordable homeownership program. “We are
excited to be a part of this project as is fits very closely with our
commitment to being a responsible, sustainable and affordable home builder,”
says Kirk Utzinger, Habitat Seattle-King County CEO.
BPA, NEEA, Northwest electric utilities and other partners
are collaborating with nine Northwest-based manufactured home builders to
demonstrate the benefits of a higher standard for newly constructed
manufactured homes and assist each manufacturer in their design. A manufactured
home built to an advanced high-performance specification can save up to 50
percent on heating and cooling costs when compared to typical manufactured
homes.
“Beyond more affordable electric bills for the homeowner,
the goal is to establish a new minimum building standard for manufactured
homes,” says Bob Stolarski, director Customer Energy Management, Puget Sound
Energy. “Which means buyers will get a higher quality, more comfortable and
more energy efficient home.”
There are about a half a million manufactured homes in the
Northwest and more than 200,000 in Washington state. Since about 20 percent
were made before the current construction standards (pre-1994 HUD), a more
energy-efficient option could help PSE, BPA and other Northwest electric
utilities meet future energy conservation goals. Estimates suggest that an
uptake of high-performance manufactured homes in the thousands could translate
to long-term energy savings of 20 average megawatts — enough electricity to power
nearly 15,000 Northwest homes for an entire year.
“This new high-performance home creates a “good/better/best”
option in the manufactured home market,” says Mark Johnson, residential energy
conservation specialist at BPA. “And a new minimum building standard could
deliver tremendous energy savings for decades to come.”
The entry of new, super-efficient models could also
reinvigorate a relatively stale manufactured home market. “Manufacturers and
retailers are excited about these new homes,” says Brady Peeks with Northwest
Energy Works, Inc., an organization under contract with BPA that’s helping
manufacturers systemize their building process of new high-performance homes.
“And we expect consumers will be too, especially those who want to conserve energy
and are concerned about their carbon footprint.”
The Bothell home is one of four completed prototypes. Three
others have been cited in Toledo, Wash. (Lewis County Public Utility District),
Pullman, Wash. (Avista Corp.) and Otis, Ore. (PacifiCorp). And another four
homes are expected to be cited throughout the region in the next few months.
The project is part of the U.S. Department of Energy’s
“Building America Partnership for Improved Residential Construction” program.
Other partners include: Community Frameworks, Ecotope, Environmental Protection
Agency’s Energy Star New Homes Program, Manufactured Housing Associations and
Washington State University.
About Puget Sound Energy
Puget Sound Energy is Washington state’s oldest local energy
company. We serve 1.1 million electric customers and more than 770,000 natural
gas customers in 10 counties. For more information, visit www.PSE.com. Also follow us on Facebook and
Twitter.
About Habitat for Humanity Seattle-King County
Habitat for Humanity SKC, an affiliate of Habitat for
Humanity International, is a faith-based,nonprofit housing organization that
brings people together to build homes, communities and hope. Habitat SKC is
dedicated to eliminating substandard housing through constructing, renovating
and preserving homes; by advocating for fair and just housing policies; and by
providing training and access to resources to help families improve their
shelter conditions. Habitat SKC builds more than houses — we transform local
communities. Habitat SKC has built, renovated or repaired more than 390 homes
for families in need of affordable housing in King County. For more
information, to donate or to volunteer, please visit www.habitatskc.org, or follow us on
Facebook or Twitter.
About Bonneville Power Administration
The Bonneville Power Administration, headquartered in
Portland, Ore., is a nonprofit federal power marketing agency that sells
wholesale renewable hydropower from federal dams in the Columbia Basin,
operates three-quarters of high-voltage transmission lines in the Northwest and
funds one of the largest wildlife protection and restoration programs in the
world. BPA and its partners pursue cost-effective energy savings in all sectors
of the economy and together they have saved enough electricity through energy
efficiency projects to power four large American cities. BPA also pursues
breakthroughs than can increase efficiencies, solves operational challenges and
reduce costs — all of which help maintain affordable, reliable electric power
for the Northwest and lessen impacts to the environment. www.bpa.gov.
About Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance
The Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance (NEEA) is an
alliance of more than 140 Northwest utilities and energy efficiency
organizations working on behalf of more than 13 million energy consumers. NEEA
leverages its strong regional partnerships to effect market transformation by
accelerating the adoption of energy-efficient products, services and practices.
Since 1997, NEEA and its partners – including Avista Utilities, Bonneville
Power Administration, Chelan County PUD, Clark Public Utilities, Cowlitz PUD,
Eugene Water & Electric Board, Energy Trust of Oregon, Idaho Power, NorthWestern
Energy, Pacific Power, Puget Sound Energy, Seattle City Light, Snohomish County
Public Utilities, and Tacoma Power –have
saved enough energy to power more than 600,000 homes each year. Energy
efficiency can offset most of our new demand for energy, saving money and
keeping the Northwest a healthy and vibrant place to live. www.neea.org.
