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Energy Efficient Home Designs
Conservation doesn’t end at flipping off a light switch or taking shorter showers. At UMH Properties Inc., we do our part with intentional, energy-efficient home designs and building practices. Our attention and commitment to a greener, more efficient home building industry is the motivation behind the choices we make and the company we’ve created. Through conservative and high-standard construction strategies, Energy Star appliances, and climate-conscious community space, we help to promote a healthier environment for our residents and the world they live in.
Energy Efficient Construction
From building materials to construction cost, our building process utilizes time, materials, and design to produce top energy efficiency. A greener process and a more conservative lifestyle for residents begins with how our manufactured homes are made.
Energy Building Codes
Each of our manufactured homes are built in accordance to Federal Manufactured Homes Construction and Safety Standards code. These are put in place by the Federal Housing and Urban Development department. In the early 1990s, the Housing and Urban Development department revised and increased the standards of this code to put a further emphasis on energy efficiency among manufactured homes. Today, this code regulates the quality of transportability, strength of materials, energy efficiency, fire resistance of each wall and structure, plumbing, electrical systems, ventilation standards, and wind-resistance in areas that encounter hurricane-force winds.
Factory Building Process
Compared to a traditional build, the factory process for manufactured homes provides for less energy usage and a reduction in waste items. These energy efficiency steps lead to an average of 2.5 times less waste, 3% less greenhouse gas emission, and 4.6% less life cycle energy compared to a traditional building process.
In addition to the actual structure build, this factory process also comes with green benefits on the man-power side. A study in 2012 showed that factory building of manufactured homes led to a 40% lower GHG emissions than a site built house. Some of this reduction comes from the lowered carbon emissions of employees and builders having to only drive to the factory as opposed to worksites.
Green Home Design Features
From material sourcing to design choices, our manufactured homes have efficient house design layers that provide benefits for the environment and our homeowners. Eco-friendly house plans provide a more comfortable living experience and the opportunity to optimize energy bills.
Building Materials
Each manufactured home follows strict standards for energy efficiency. One way this is accomplished is through proper insulation and window requirements. Cooling and heating costs are typically lower in a manufactured home and temperature systems have been shown to be as much as 30% more efficient in maintaining thermal comfort. To support the proper insulation and temperature systems, manufactured homes are equipped with low-E windows. This helps to maintain internal temperature and efficiency. Whether you live in a hot or cold climate, our energy efficient features can reduce cool and heat loss, along with the ability to promote utility cost effectiveness.
Materials and Technology
An energy efficient house continues with appliances, fixtures, and technology selected to fill the square footage. Style and function combine with the ENERGY STAR Certified appliances we use for houses. These appliances are engineered to optimize productivity and promote efficiency.
On the wall of our manufactured homes, we use NEST & Ecobee smart thermostats to partner with our top-notch insulation and temperature conserving windows. These thermostats can use data to reduce consumption and lower cooling and heating costs.
We install a water meter on each of our units to help reduce water consumption, promote conservation, and detect leaks when they occur. These meters are partnered with low-flow shower heads, water heater pipe insulation, and energy efficient faucet aerators.
Through LED lighting and bulbs installed both inside our homes and throughout our communities, we can help to reduce electric consumption and reduce energy costs.
Green Communities
We continue our commitment to green ideas throughout our communities by promoting open space landscaping, intentional waste management, and building materials suppliers.
Open Space
Natural wildlife is one of the most important aspects of the environment that green ideas are aimed at conserving. We preserve as much wildlife as possible in our community designs by leaving intentional open spaces and centering landscaping around trees and shrubs. This preserves soil, supports the environment, and improves air quality. For our passion outreach, we sponsor the Open Space Pace parade and festival in Monmouth County, New Jersey.
Waste Management
We promote recycling of paper, plastic, bottles, and cans in our communities by making sure our residents all have access to appropriate recycling bins. In addition, our corporate offices feature recycling bins and the use of coffee mugs, to reduce one-use paper or plastic.
Material Suppliers
During the building process and additions to our communities, we use a purchasing platform to reduce waste and increase efficiency. This platform allows exact ordering of materials ahead of time to avoid purchasing travel and over-ordering.
We also reach out to all our suppliers to encourage them to take their own steps towards an environmentally friendly workplace through negotiation and our Vendor Code of Conduct.
Climate change and negative impacts on the environment affect us all. There are many ways we can reduce our impact and promote energy efficiency through conscious building practices, efficient home designs, and Energy Star ratings for our communities. [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_btn title=”View available lots awaiting your Dream Home!” color=”danger” align=”center” link=”url:%2Four-communities%2F|title:Our%20Communities||”][vc_btn title=”Back” color=”inverse” align=”center” link=”url:%2Fblog%2F|title:Designer%20Homes%20Blog||”][/vc_column][/vc_row]