Clayton, a leading single-family home builder, recently made big environmental news by deciding to convert nearly all of the 42,000 modern manufactured homes it builds annually to be certified ENERGY STAR and Zero Energy Ready Homes . These certifications mean that its manufactured homes will be much more efficient, save homeowners money on their utility bills and provide premium energy-efficient appliances that are often considered unaffordable to the average family.
The switch to HPWHs hasn’t been entirely without challenges. Clayton has gone to significant lengths to protect the HPWH while the home is being built , but some installers I’ve talked to are finding problems with the HPWH ducting after the home has been commissioned and are having to provide repairs. Other industry insiders are questioning Clayton’s decision to duct just the HPWH exhaust, as it may create negative pressure within the home.
But overall, Clayton is receiving very positive feedback from the tens of thousands of new eBuilt homeowners. They heard from one longtime Clayton homeowner who switched to a new eBuilt home and said that their energy bill had gone from $250 a month in the winter to $75. The lower energy bills that come with these Zero Energy Ready certified homes tackle the issue of the “hidden mortgage,” where monthly ownership costs, like energy bills, can be almost as much as the mortgage itself.