A modular home is a prefabricated home that is made of multiple modules or sections that are manufactured and substantially assembled in a manufacturing plant. These pre–built sections are transported to the building site and constructed by a builder to meet all applicable building codes for site–built homes.
A home earns the ENERGY STAR by meeting strict program requirements for energy efficiency set by the U.S. EPA. The program requirements applied to modular homes are the same as those applied to site–built homes. However, modular homes designed and produced in the plant to meet the ENERGY STAR program requirements are only "ENERGY STAR certified" after they are inspected and verified on site and receive the blue ENERGY STAR Certified Home label. Homes cannot be marketed or promoted as "ENERGY STAR labeled" or "ENERGY STAR certified" until the site verification process has been completed by a third–party verifier.
There are two ways a modular home can meet these program requirements and earn the ENERGY STAR:
Version # | Applicable to Homes with the Following Sales Date | Version Description |
---|---|---|
Version 2.5 |
On or after 10/01/2011 and before 01/01/2014 |
Version 2.5: Core Version 3 energy efficiency measures with Air Barriers and Air Sealing sections of Thermal Enclosure System Rater Checklist; Other checklists completed but not enforced |
Version 3 |
On or after 01/01/2014 | Version 3: Core Version 3 energy efficiency measures with all checklists completed and enforced |
The following verification procedures can be followed for modular homes to earn the ENERGY STAR label. These procedures include three main elements:
To produce modules for homes that, when constructed, can earn the ENERGY STAR, a manufacturing plant must first demonstrate to the satisfaction of a qualified and Quality Assurance Provider (QAP)–approved third–party consultant that it has the ability to consistently produce homes that comply with the ENERGY STAR requirements with respect to all work conducted in the plant. This results in the plant being certified by the third–party consultant to produce modules that can earn the ENERGY STAR. All work of the plant is conducted under the oversight of the third–party consultant who is a specialist in factory building with expertise in energy efficient construction.
To become certified the plant must develop procedures that address:
Compliance with ENERGY STAR requirements for each home must be verified both in the plant and at the site following procedures that are established by a QAP. These procedures must address home compliance both in the plant and at the site as follows:
ENERGY STAR provides its active partners the opportunity to utilize the ENERGY STAR brand in promoting homes that earn the ENERGY STAR label. Modular manufacturing plant and builder partners must adhere to ENERGY STAR's Brand Brand Book when promoting ENERGY STAR certified modular homes. These guidelines describe how the ENERGY STAR name and marks may be used in promotional materials. In addition, ENERGY STAR distributed a letter (PDF, 656 KB) and a quick logo–use reference guide (PDF, 2.0 MB) to all ENERGY STAR modular plant partners that provides clarification on how plants can use the ENERGY STAR brand.
These requirements apply to manufactured homes, defined as homes built in a factory that are subject to the federal Manufactured Home Construction and Safety Standards (commonly referred to as the HUD Code) contained in 24 CFR 3280. For site-built and modular single family homes and multifamily buildings, click on the appropriate tab above.
Program documents reflect Revision 1. Find details in the Policy Record and historical document revisions in the Archives.
National Program Requirements
Manufactured Homes National Program Requirements, Version 2 (PDF, 170 KB)
Manufactured Homes National Program Requirements, Version 3 (PDF, 197 KB)
Plant Certification
To earn the ENERGY STAR label, a manufactured home must meet all applicable program requirements and be produced in a plant that is certified by one of the following EPA-recognized Quality Assurance Providers (QAP’s).
The plant certification process, as well as oversight and enforcement of all quality assurance requirements related to designing, producing, and installing ENERGY STAR certified manufactured homes, is the responsibility of the QAP. Once certified, the plant must follow the QAP’s guidelines for ongoing production, installation, and certification of homes to maintain its plant certification status.
This table contains all implementation timelines applicable on or after June 1, 2020. Implementation timelines applicable prior to this date can be obtained by contacting energystarhomes@energystar.gov.
To determine the program Version that a manufactured home is required to be certified under, identify the production date of the home below.
Homes Produced On or After This Date |
Certified Homes |
---|---|
06-01-2020 |
National Version 2 |
01-01-2024* |
National Version 3 |
*The ENERGY STAR Manufactured New Homes Version 3 program requirements are effective on January 1, 2023, with a revised transition period of one year. Manufactured homes produced between January 1, 2023 and December 31, 2023 are permitted to be certified using either Version 2 or Version 3 of the program requirements. Manufactured homes produced on or after January 1, 2024 must be certified using Version 3 of the program requirements.
Implementation timelines applicable prior to this date can be obtained by contacting energystarhomes@energystar.gov.
Building America Solutions Center
Recommended Cooling Equipment Sizing Guidelines (PDF, 3.8 MB)
EPA allows existing homes to earn the ENERGY STAR when all requirements of the ENERGY STAR Certified Homes program are met. EPA does recognize that some of the current program requirements present unique challenges for existing homes, even those undergoing a gut rehabilitation.
To help mitigate these challenges, EPA has developed alternative compliance options for existing homes. These alternative options are for specific items on the ENERGY STAR Certified Homes Inspection Checklists and have been incorporated directly into the Inspection Checklists with the release of Revision 07. These alternatives are available for use and are listed in the Policy Record. See Recent Policy Changes and Clarifications.
While EPA does not mandate the scope of work for existing home projects, it has identified key components that may be needed to meet the ENERGY STAR Certified Homes program requirements. These include the following:
EPA acknowledges that additional alternatives, increased flexibility, and alternative assessment protocols would expand the number of homes able to earn the ENERGY STAR. EPA is committed to including additional alternatives as they become available so that more homes may earn the ENERGY STAR label without sacrificing performance.
EPA receivedcomments (PDF, 337 KB) from partners and other stakeholders regarding the Proposed Alternative Compliance Pathways for Homes Undergoing a Gut Rehabilitation (PDF, 589 KB). Note: These were the proposed alternatives and not all alternatives were adopted. For the available alternatives, please see the most recent Policy Record found here: Recent Policy Changes and Clarifications
Summary of Public Comment Period for Proposed Alternative Pathways for Gut Rehabilitation Projects (PDF, 535 KB) — This document contains a summary of comments received during the gut rehabilitation comment period, along with EPA's response to each point raised and the resulting policy change, if any.
Any home or apartment that meets the eligibility requirements of either ENERGY STAR Single Family New Homes or ENERGY STAR Multifamily New Construction is also eligible to earn ENERGY STAR NextGen certification.
National Program Requirements
ENERGY STAR NextGen Rater Field Checklist Version 1 (PDF, 309 KB)
EPA is making the ENERGY STAR NextGen technical specifications available now; however, homes and apartments may not be certified with this label until the program is officially launched in 2023. Additional information and program details will become available in the coming months. For more information, please contact: energystarhomes@energystar.gov.
The requirements on this tab apply to the ENERGY STAR Multifamily New Construction (MFNC) program, launched in 2019. This program is available for all attached residential new construction, except two-family dwellings. Visit the Multifamily New Construction Building Eligibility page to determine if your building's units are eligible. Townhouses must use the ERI path.
Program documents reflect Revision 03. Find details in the Policy Record. Historical documents can be found in the Archives.
National Program Requirements Version 1.1 (PDF, 353 KB)
Applicable to Track A & B:
MFNC Rater Design Review Checklist (PDF, 72 KB)
MFNC Rater Field Checklist (PDF, 72 KB)
MFNC HVAC Functional Testing Checklist (PDF, 407 KB)
MFNC Water Management System Requirements (PDF, 216 KB)
Only Applicable to Track A – HVAC Grading:
MFNC HVAC Design Supplement – Dwellings & Units (PDF, 350 KB)
MFNC HVAC Design Supplement – Common Spaces & Central Systems (PDF, 97 KB)
Only Applicable to Track B – HVAC Testing:
MFNC HVAC Design Report (PDF, 557 KB)
MFNC HVAC Design Report Excel Tool (EXCEL, 188 KB)
MFNC HVAC Functional Testing Checklist Excel Tool (EXCEL, 384 KB)
Multifamily Workbook (EXCEL, 1.4 MB)
Photo Documentation Guidance (PDF, 79 KB)
Multifamily Workbook Example (EXCEL, 1.5 MB)
MFNC HVAC Design Report Example (PDF, 96 KB)
MFNC HVAC Design Report Excel Tool Example (EXCEL, 190 KB)
MFNC Partners and Stakeholders
Building America Solutions Center
MFNC National Version 1.1 Cost & Savings Document (PDF, 784 KB)
MFNC National ERI Target Procedure Version 1.1 2014 (PDF, 172 KB)
MFNC National ERI Target Procedure Version 1.1 2019 (PDF, 172 KB)
Comparison of SFNH to MFNC (PDF, 114 KB)
Comparison of MFHR to MFNC (PDF, 477 KB)
Quality Assurance Checklist (ERI Path) (PDF, 802 KB)
Quality Assurance Checklist (ASHRAE or Prescriptive Path) (PDF, 836 KB)
Multifamily buildings in Minnesota must be certified using the National Program Requirements Version 1.1 (PDF, 353 KB) if permitted on or after 07/01/2021. For certification requirements prior to this date, view the implementation timeline table.