Energy Use in Mobile Homes

This fact sheet from the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) examines the energy inefficiency and poor living conditions of approximately 2 million mobile homes built before 1976 in the United States. It argues that because these structures are in such disrepair, they cannot be weatherized and must be entirely replaced with energy-efficient units to reduce carbon footprints and utility costs for low-income residents.

• Approximately 2 million mobile homes produced before 1976 remain in use across all 50 U.S. states, primarily in rural, economically depressed areas. These homes are described as the "worst housing stock" in the U.S. due to deterioration, including leaking roofs and collapsing floors, which threatens the health of elderly and disabled residents.
• Manufactured homes built before 1980 are significantly less energy efficient than other housing types, consuming an average of 84,316 BTUs per square foot, which is 53 percent more than other homes. Because traditional energy conservation and the Department of Energy’s Weatherization Assistance Program are ineffective for pre-1976 homes, the document asserts that total replacement is the only viable solution.
• A high proportion of residents in pre-1980 manufactured homes live in poverty. Specifically, 55 percent of these households have incomes below 150% of the poverty level, and 52 percent (1,378,209 households) earn between $0 and $19,999. The average income for households in these homes is $24,640.
• The Energy Efficient Manufactured Housing Act of 2009 (H.R. 1749/S. 1320) proposes grants for state agencies to provide rebates up to $7,500 to low-income owners of pre-1976 mobile homes. These rebates would apply to the purchase of ENERGY STAR qualified manufactured homes that are at least 15 percent more efficient than current minimum codes.
• The HUD Code, which took effect on June 15, 1976, is the only federally regulated national building code and sets standards for strength, durability, fire resistance, and energy efficiency for manufactured homes. In contrast, modular homes are built according to local or state building codes.

APA

Vaughan, E., & Patterson, O. (2009). Energy Use in Mobile Homes. Environmental and Energy Study Institute. https://www.eesi.org/files/062509_mobile_factsheet.pdf

Chicago

Vaughan, Ellen, and Olivia Patterson. Energy Use in Mobile Homes. Environmental and Energy Study Institute, 2009. https://www.eesi.org/files/062509_mobile_factsheet.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Vaughan |first1=Ellen |last2=Patterson |first2=Olivia |title=Energy Use in Mobile Homes |publisher=Environmental and Energy Study Institute |date=June 2009 |url=https://www.eesi.org/files/062509_mobile_factsheet.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{vaughan2009energy, author = {Vaughan, Ellen and Patterson, Olivia}, title = {{Energy Use in Mobile Homes}}, institution = {Environmental and Energy Study Institute}, year = {2009}, month = jun, url = {https://www.eesi.org/files/062509_mobile_factsheet.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }