Manufactured Home Community Energy Efficiency and Emission Reduction Strategy

Nanaimo has 1,652 manufactured home lots in 20 communities (parks). Many of those living in these communities spend more money on home heating than other Nanaimo residents.  Extreme temperature swings are common in manufactured homes. Manufactured home residents are more reliant on air conditioning than single-family homes. 

Manufactured home communities need unique energy solutions. Manufactured home community residents own their own homes, but rent a pad space from the park owner. The community (park) operator provides services like electricity to the manufactured homes in the community.  Community residents choose their own home heating, cooling, and hot water systems. Those choices are limited by the overall infrastructure capacity of the community.   

For Phase 1 of the project, the City worked with the Regional District of Nanaimo (RDN) to develop a guide for manufactured home community residents. The guide will help community residents complete energy efficiency improvements, like a heat pump, in their homes. A separate guide was also done for manufactured home community owners. This guide provides information for owners and managers to help them support resident energy efficiency improvements.

Phase 2 of the project is now underway.  This phase will address community site-level barriers, such as limited electrical capacity. Up to three manufactured home communities will be selected through a grant application process to receive a subsidized electrical capacity study.  This phase will then suggest solutions to community-level barriers preventing heat pump installs.  

Community Electrical Capacity Assessment Grant applications will be accepted from October 15 to 29.  Please check out the grant guidelines in the documents section to learn about what is covered by the grant, how to apply and how applications will be selected.  

For more information, please contact us at sustainability@nanaimo.ca