Manufactured Home Weatherization & Rehabilitation
Improving Energy Efficiency, Enhancing Health & Well-being
Manufactured Home Weatherization & Rehabilitation
We're working on something new! In partnership with NeighborWorks Montana, the Human Resource Council and Home ReSource, we're developing a pilot project to weatherize & rehabilitate manufactured homes in the Missoula area. Residents in manufactured (or "mobile") homes are typically among those most in need of improvements that reduce energy bills and improve health. When up and running the project will offer a range of energy improvements for residents, from weatherization services such as air-sealing doors, LED lights and other basic energy-saving measures, to the more complex upgrades that boost insulation R-values and significantly reduce heat loss. The pilot project goals are described here.
Project Activities and Updates
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"Design Refine Team" Home Visits In June, our "design refine team" visited four manufactured homes in the Resident Owned Community (ROC) - Buena Vista. The team is made up of local builders and architects who designed new & creative skirting models our "design charette" in February. They worked to refine the skirting designs based on specific aspects of the mobile home and desires of the homeowners. In the News Check out this Missoula Current article detailing the launching of the project and some of the work we've accomplished during 2017-2018. Sustainable Missoula: Manufactured home rehab team seeks to preserve affordable housing. |
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Design Charette This past February, we hosted a "design charrette" at Home ReSource, engaging stakeholders from multiple different sectors including builders, architects, weatherization professionals and manufactured home residents to collaboratively brainstorm cost effective, substantial and eco-friendly improvements for skirting and underbelly of manufactured homes. Thanks to our wonderful community volunteers, our team completed the workshop and designed new & creative models for re-skirting mobile homes. After completing the charrette we identified individual manufactured home residents interested in our skirting repair/replacement model for their home. Then we reached out to participants of the design charrette and any others with building and design expertise to create a "design refine team". Members of this group will visit the identified homes and refine the skirting designs based on specific aspects of the mobile home and desires of the homeowners. |
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May 2018 Resource Fair
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In partnership with NeighborWorks Montana, Home ReSource and the Missoula Human Resource Council, we co-hosted a Manufactured Home Resource Fair with the goal of providing valuable resources and information for manufactured home residents in the categories of Home Repair, Weatherization, Financial & Legal Counseling and Health.
In addition to the hosting and coordinating organizations Homeword, MoFi, Montana Legal Services and Missoula Urban Demonstration Project attended and shared great resources with residents. The MT Dept of Health and Human Services, Missoula Food Bank, American Lung Association in Montana and Missoula Federal Credit Union had flyers and information available about home health and home financing respectively. Thanks to generous support from the National Center for Appropriate Technology attendees received free weatherization, energy and health related home supplies such as LED lights, weather-stripping, pipe wraps and window insulation kits. We're grateful for all organizations that came and shared resources! |
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"Pop Up" Resource Events We've continued providing resources to residents to help with Home Repair, Weatherization, Financial & Legal Counseling and Health through "pop up" resource events hosted directly in manufactured home communities. We set up a tent and hand out information about organizations and resources to help residents improve theirs homes, work on their budgets and credit and address health improvements for homes. We also hand out FREE home weatherization supplies like LED light-bulbs, window-weatherstripping and pipe insulation wrap. In July, we hosted two "pop up" resource events in separate communities. These events have been a great success. We hope to continue this effort moving forward. |
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Manufactured Home Rehab Project Goals
In the first year of our pilot project (2017-2018) NeighborWorks Montana and Climate Smart intends to:
Assess Need
- Gain a comprehensive understanding for best practices of repairing or replacing aspects of manufactured homes, especially the underbelly & skirting.
- Conduct an survey of manufactured homes communities, identifying vulnerable individuals and families who would significantly benefit from weatherization and home rehabilitation.
Build Capacities
- Enable better coordination of existing efforts and resources in manufactured home weatherization & rehabilitation.
- Build a shared database for potential recipients of weatherization and home rehabilitation services in our community.
Provide Services
- Develop a weatherization training program that can be replicated and has long term viability.
- Train at least 10 volunteers in weatherization and manufactured home rehabilitation services.
- Provide education and resources on energy improvements for residents.
- Implement weatherization & manufactured home rehabilitation services for an estimated 30 units in the Missoula area.
Keep reading for information on the benefits and need for weatherization and manufactured home rehabilitation
The Manufactured Home Rehab project is in its initial "pilot" stages. A committee comprised of community partners is hard at work. More to come! If your interested in and want more information, please contact Climate Smart Missoula's, Energy Corps member, Energy and Climate Coordinator - Max Longo
Email: max@climatesmartmissoula.org
Phone: c- 757-645-8471 o- 406.926.2847
- Health - One of the major benefits of weatherization is improved health and overall well being of occupied residents. For example, a recent study by E4TheFuture found 12% fewer asthma ED visits and a 48% decline in poor health among adults in households receiving weatherization services. The study also showed improvements in occupants heath are strongest among vulnerable groups: lower income households and residents with preexisting medical conditions. Check out the full study here.
- Increased Comfort - Weatherizing a home can significantly enhance the comfort of residents. Weatherization helps eliminate rooms that are either too hot or too cold because weatherization services improve insulation and ventilation allowing for temperatures to remain consistent throughout the home. Furthermore, the services help mitigate or eliminate drafts in the home which can be annoying and uncomfortable.
- Cost Savings - According to the Department of Energy you can save an estimated 5- 30 percent on your energy bills by implementing energy efficiency upgrades associated with weatherization. - Air sealing cracks in doors and windows, energy efficient LED lighting and added insulation are examples of weatherization services which tremendously reduce energy use and overall cost on your energy bill.
- Serving Vulnerable Communities- Manufactured Housing makes up less than 15 percent of total housing stock in Missoula. However, many service organizations in our community focus 50 percent of there effort on low income. elderly and disabled individuals living in manufactured housing. Clearly, there is major need to provide more weatherization and home rehabilitation services for residents in our community.
- Climate Resiliency - Summers are becoming warmer with intensified wildfire smoke. Missoula needs to adapt manufactured housing too enhance insulation and ventilation in anticipation of more extreme wildfire seasons. Our services are intended to improve overall well being in the home
- Building Community Partnerships: The community partnership on this project is designed to enhance the coordination of existing efforts and resources already working on weatherizing and rehabilitating manufactured homes in Missoula
The Manufactured Home Rehab project is in its initial "pilot" stages. A committee comprised of community partners is hard at work. More to come! If your interested in and want more information, please contact Climate Smart Missoula's, Energy Corps member, Energy and Climate Coordinator - Max Longo
Email: max@climatesmartmissoula.org
Phone: c- 757-645-8471 o- 406.926.2847
Check out this short video detailing the connection between weatherization and healthier homes.
