Manufactured Homes: State-Based Replacement Programs May Provide Benefits, but Energy Savings Do Not Fully Offset Costs.

摘要

Approximately 2 million of the nation's 130 million housing units are manufactured homes (i.e., mobile homes) that were built before 1976. These older manufactured homes are generally considered to have some of the poorest energy efficiency of all housing units. Many of the occupants of these homes qualify for federal assistance to help pay their energy bills through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program. A portion of this programs funds can be used to improve the energy efficiency of these homes; however, program funding may not be used for new construction, or replacing existing homes. Some states have conducted pilot programs to replace older manufactured homes with newer, more energy efficient models. GAO was asked to identify and review state programs and the extent to which they may be cost-effective based on reduced energy costs. For this report, GAOs objectives were to (1) identify states that have funded replacement programs and describe these programs; (2) identify challenges, if any, these states reported facing in implementing these programs; and (3) determine the extent to which these programs resulted in energy savings sufficient to offset replacement costs. To address these objectives, GAO surveyed all 50 states and the District of Columbia, examined data from pilot programs spanning about 2 years, and interviewed officials from three state-based programs.