Energy Trust scales up work to replace inefficient manufactured homes

An Energy Trust pilot program to replace inefficient manufactured houses with energy-efficient designs will scale up in the coming months following approval from the Oregon Public Utility Commission.
Energy Trust has been dealing with neighborhood and state partners recently to develop a model for changing aging manufactured homes in a manner in which provides substantial energy savings, health and convenience advantages.
A 2017 report discovered nearly half of Oregons manufactured homes were about 40 years old, meaning they are most likely to have poor insulation, air leak and inefficient windows and heater.
Energy Trust and its partners have now changed or remain in the process of changing 52 houses at produced house parks from Northeast Portland to Umatilla County. The brand-new houses are not only substantially more efficient, they are also more comfy for residents and less expensive to maintain.
The pilot likewise linked participants with financing with cost effective rates and loan terms.
At its September 21 meeting, the Oregon Public Utility Commission authorized a staff recommendation that allows the pilot to become an Energy Trust program. Commissioners spoke in favor of this ingenious method to serving customers, with Chair Megan Decker calling an earlier Energy Trust discussion on the pilot among her “happiest minutes as a commissioner.”
The preliminary manufactured house replacement pilot is now prepared to transition to an irreversible program deal, extending its spending plan for incentives and outreach services. Personnel have currently started work to scale up this deal to benefit more customers.