When comparing energy-efficient manufactured homes, ask for the specifications for the home you plan to order. A collection page can help you build a shortlist, but the next step is a written comparison of insulation, windows, heating and cooling equipment, water heating, and any claimed whole-home certification.
For every feature, ask what document confirms it and whether it is included in your order. That gives you a way to compare a standard package with an optional upgrade without treating a brochure description as a promise about your home.
Start with two models and the same comparison record
Choose two layouts from the floor-plan library that suit your household. You can use the Harmony specifications and Cavco collection specifications as starting points for questions. Ask for current details for each selected model before deciding which energy package you want.
Make a separate record for each proposed order. At the top, write the model and series, the factory that will build it if known, the specification-sheet date or revision, the quote date, and the proposed production date if provided. Include your city or ZIP and whether you have a site selected.
For every item below, record the specified feature, the supporting document and its date, and one of these statuses:
- Included in the quoted home order.
- Optional and selected, with the option identified in writing.
- Optional and not selected.
- Outside the home order, with the responsible party identified.
- Needs confirmation before the order is finalized.
An unanswered field is a follow-up question. It does not mean a feature is absent, and it should not be counted as included.
Compare insulation for the roof, walls, and floor
Record the insulation specification separately for the ceiling or roof, exterior walls, and floor. Copy the material and R-value as stated in the factory document, along with any named package or option code. If a sheet lists several values without identifying their locations, ask for that clarification.
R-value describes resistance to heat transfer. Installation also matters; the Department of Energy's insulation guidance explains the importance of avoiding gaps, compression, and other installation problems. Use the listed R-value to compare insulation; it does not predict your utility bill.
For manufactured home insulation options, ask which values apply to the standard order and which require a different package. If the package is described by a climate-zone label, have the factory confirm the intended package for your location rather than choosing it from the label alone.
Ask for window ratings as well as descriptions
Record the window manufacturer and product line if available, the glass description, and the documented U-factor and solar heat gain coefficient, often shortened to SHGC. Ask whether the same specification applies to every window in the chosen plan.
U-factor describes how well a window insulates; a lower value indicates better insulating performance. SHGC describes solar heat entering through the window; a lower value means less solar heat gain. ENERGY STAR's explanation of window performance ratings describes these measures and the National Fenestration Rating Council label used to report them.
Descriptions such as low-E, argon-filled, or dual-pane give you something to ask about, but request the product's ratings too. The NFRC residential certification program provides independently verified performance data for windows and other products.
Ask the manufacturer to confirm the window package for the home's intended location. ENERGY STAR's window guidance explains that climate and window orientation affect selection. Ask about SHGC for your selected home and site; no single value suits every situation.
Identify the equipment and who supplies it
For heating and cooling, record the equipment type, fuel or power source, manufacturer, model number when available, and the efficiency rating exactly as documented. Ask which components are factory supplied and which are supplied or installed separately. Record the thermostat as its own item so its features do not substitute for identifying the heating and cooling system.
For the water heater, record the technology, fuel or power source, capacity, and model-specific efficiency information. Ask whether the quoted unit is included or an upgrade, and whether any necessary site work is outside the home order.
Request the manufacturer specification sheet and, where available, the EnergyGuide label for each proposed appliance or system. The Federal Trade Commission's EnergyGuide explanation describes how labels help compare similar products. It also cautions that estimated operating costs use typical usage and a national average energy price; your usage and local price will differ.
Keep a product label's estimated cost in the equipment comparison. Do not add several labels together and present the total as the home's expected annual utility bill.
Verify whole-home certification separately
If a home is described as ENERGY STAR certified, ask for the certification documentation for that home and the applicable manufactured-home program version. An ENERGY STAR appliance label establishes something about that product; it does not establish certification of the entire home.
Under the current ENERGY STAR manufactured-home program, a home must meet the applicable requirements and be produced in a plant certified by an EPA-recognized Quality Assurance Provider. The provider oversees the program's design, production, installation, and certification requirements. Separate programs apply to modular and site-built homes.
As of October 19, 2026, the program page says mandatory Version 3 implementation is deferred until further notice, with optional use still available. Ask which version applies to the proposed production date and what evidence will confirm certification after the required steps are complete. Recheck the current program page when your production date is confirmed.
For any other named energy program, request its exact name and the documentation supporting the claim for your order. Record certification evidence separately from insulation values and equipment labels. If documentation will become available later, record who will provide it and at what stage.
Resolve differences before choosing a package
Compare the two records. A feature missing from one brochure needs confirmation; a feature shown only as an option needs a decision. Ask for written clarification when a collection page, current specification sheet, and quote describe different equipment or packages.
Before you finalize the order, check that selected energy options appear in the order documents. Ask how any equipment substitution or package change would be documented and whether it would affect the stated certification. Keep the latest confirmed specifications with the order paperwork.
Bring your shortlist and one specific question to AHC
When you contact Affordable Home Concepts, include your two model choices, city or ZIP, whether you have land or a community site selected, and the energy specification you want confirmed. Attach the specification sheets you are comparing if you have them.
Ask which insulation package, windows, heating and cooling equipment, water heater, and certification documentation apply to each proposed order, and which items are included versus optional.
