Working closely with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Systems Building Research Alliance (SBRA) has finalized the process for qualifying modular homes for the ENERGY STAR label. These procedures are a major step forward for modular companies looking to earn the ENERGY STAR designation for their homes. Details can be found in the SBRA Modular Program Guide available for free on the web at www.research-alliance.org/pages/es_mod.htm.

The procedures provide modular builders with several major advantages in qualifying homes for the ENERGY STAR label:

• The compliance verification protocols are designed specifically to address the way modular homes are built, recognizing the inherent energy advantages of factory construction.
• The procedures provide for plant certification, a special designation indicating that the plant possesses the skills to build ENERGY STAR homes. Once certified, plants can produce homes that can earn the ENERGY STAR label, monitoring quality and conformance using in-house quality control staff, eliminating the need for third-party inspection of every home in the plant.
• The plant applies an EPA-approved SBRA quality assurance (QA) label to homes, indicating to builders that the homes have been constructed by a certified plant in compliance with ENERGY STAR guidelines and can earn the ENERGY STAR label once verified on site by a Rater.
• Completion of the ENERGY STAR home is the builder’s responsibility. In the field, conformance with ENERGY STAR is verified by a third-party Rater hired by the builder.

Since the program was launched as a pilot, more than 50 companies have signed up to participate. For more information, contact Gwynne Koch, SBRA ENERGY STAR Program Manager, at gkoch@research-alliance.org, or visit SBRA on the web at www.research-alliance.org.