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Online training offers free, manufactured home expertise

October 2025

By Emily Haeg Nguyen
Central, MN Northeast, MN Southeast, MN Southwest, MN West Central, MN

Manufactured homes provide affordable housing for thousands of Minnesotans, yet many contractors and weatherization professionals are unfamiliar with their designs. A new online training aims to change that. With support from the Clean Energy Resource Teams (CERTs), the nonprofit Slipstream has launched Manufactured Homes – Features and Functions, a no-cost, online training.

The training introduces the design, materials, and construction of manufactured homes in the U.S., giving contractors and weatherization professionals a stronger foundation for supporting their longevity. While not a step-by-step “how-to,” the course builds essential understanding that can prepare participants for future repair and energy retrofit work on this housing type.

A needed resource

CERTs’ Joel Haskard(right) visits Sunnyside Estates in Cloquet for a clean energy “blast” outreach event. Joined by CERTs’ Cinderella Ndlovu (middle) and Center for Energy and Environment’s Gerardo Roca(left).

Manufactured homes are one of the most common options for naturally occurring affordable housing, especially in rural areas. Unfortunately, residents often pay three times as much on their utility bills than residents of traditional housing. Residents say they often lack the support they need to make energy upgrades. This is, in part, because contractors and weatherization professionals often have limited experience with manufactured homes.

Slipstream, a nonprofit focused on advancing energy efficiency and innovation, recognised the need for better support. Building upon their foundation of research and existing resources related to manufactured homes, the organization envisioned an online training that would help share the knowledge. 

To bring the idea to life, they partnered with CERTs, securing seed grant support across five Minnesota regions, northeast, southeast, west central, central, and southwest. With a track record of supporting energy efficiency in manufactured home communities across Minnesota, CERTs was thrilled by the potential impact of this project. 

CERTs Success Story: Energy-Saving Kits in Northfield

“This training fills a real gap,” says CERTs Co-Director Joel Haskard. “For many families living in manufactured homes, energy costs take up a big part of the monthly budget. By providing contractors and weatherization staff the confidence to work with these homes, we can help more families access the upgrades they deserve and move toward more affordable energy bills.”

CERTs and Slipstream note that the training can also benefit other groups, including workforce development programs focused on energy and utility services.

“We feel the new training will be an excellent resource for a variety of entities working in affordable housing and energy efficiency,” says Lisa Fisher, a program manager with Slipstream. To CERTs she says, “Thank you for the opportunity to develop this training.”

Haskard says that CERTs hopes the collaboration represents only the beginning of what’s possible. “This could serve as a launching point for more advanced manufactured home energy retrofit modules, detailing different parts of the home and identifying cost-effective, feasible solutions. It’s really exciting stuff!”

“By providing contractors and weatherization staff the confidence to work with these homes, we can help more families access the upgrades they deserve and move toward more affordable energy bills.” 

– Joel Haskard, CERTs Co-Director

Ready to get trained?

The 1-hour basics course provides an overview of the history, components, manufacturing process, and unique features of manufactured homes. The training includes five modules that can be completed at an individual pace, with knowledge checks built in to reinforce understanding.

As a result of this training, students will be able to:

  • Define the terms “mobile” and “manufactured homes”
  • Recognize the evolution of constructing manufactured homes in America.
  • List unique physical characteristics of manufactured homes.
  • List unique performance characteristics of manufactured homes.
  • Identify the factors affecting longevity of this housing stock.
  • Define possible work measures to support this housing stock.

The course is eligible for 0.5 Building Performance Institute (BPI) Continuing Education Units (CEUs). BPI numbers provided during registration will be submitted on behalf of participants upon successful completion.

Register

Registration information

Access to the course is available through online registration. After completing the registration form, an email is sent with a link to the course. First-time users should enter their email address in the “Email” and “Password” fields and will be prompted to create a new password upon login. For questions or support, contact [email protected].

Partial funding for this project was provided by Clean Energy Resource Teams (CERTs) and made possible by support from the MN Department of Commerce through Minnesota’s Energy Conservation and Optimization Program and/or the US DOE State Energy Program.

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