LONDON, Ky. (LEX 18) — Land on Sam Black Road in London will soon be home to Redbud Estates. Governor Andy Beshear joined other state and local leaders to break ground on the site. 51 energy-efficient Clayton homes are expected to go on sale in the community, as soon as this fall.
Clayton Homes director of industry and community affairs, Ramsey Cohen, says, "70% of the home is built off-site, 30% is gonna be built here on-site -- the foundation, the porch, garage. They'll be indistinguishable from a site-built home. What’s more these are homes that appraise and finance, just like a site-built home."
According to www.Energy.gov, more than 20 million Americans live in manufactured homes. The Department of Energy has created specs to help make sure they're energy efficient.
Kentucky’s assistant director of the Office of Energy Policy, Ashley Runyon, says, "The building standards are just as high for manufactured housing as stick-built housing and we're finding that neighborhoods like this are actually raising the bar."
It's estimated that homeowners will save up to 50% of their annual energy costs with these Clayton Home “CrossMod” models.
The homes will have energy-saving features like solar shingles, efficient insulation, and smart thermostats. In recent years energy bills have gone up.
Runyon explains, "In most parts of the state it's up 8% in lower income populations, and here in the eastern part of the state it's well over 9%."
Kentucky’s seen a series of natural disasters over the years and impacts to housing inventory. Beshear believes projects like this one could help those areas. He says, "Certainly it can speed up the construction timeline, we need to make sure they and the non-profits are all working together.”
It's estimated that the eBuilt homes can save more than $800 a year in electric utilities. Kentucky's energy leaders say that frees up families to pay for other necessities.
Necessities like "Food and medical necessities, and we want our kids to be out in communities thriving, playing sports and doing fun things and when we are completely strapped at home, it makes it challenging to live fulfilling lives,” says Runyon.
