Projects
Technical and marketplace issues, which can impact the quality, acceptance and affordability of factory built housing, serve as the basis for all of SBRA's investigations. Projects are organized into the following areas:
Construction
Seeking to identify better design and construction practices, SBRA conducts a broad range of studies and product development projects. Examples include high performance structural systems, longevity and durability of adhesives and sealants, reduction in the amount of construction waste, and design and demonstration of home automation systems.
Plant-Installed
HVAC Systems
Enhance efficiency and affordability
by re-engineering all HVAC components
installed in the plant.
2024
ADS Plant Diagnostics
Methods to enhance air distribution
systems (ADS) to reduce energy use
and address moisture issues.
January 2003
Duct Systems Guide
Guide on design decisions, system
selection, planning, connections,
and evaluation of ducts.
Steel Framing
Research on steel-framed
factory-built homes compliant
with HUD or IRC codes.
December 2003
Single Family Attached
Manufactured homes as a
building block for single-family
attached construction.
September 2003
Heating & Cooling Distribution
Research on improving the energy
efficiency and durability of
the crossover duct.
2009
Lean Production
Catalyst for maximizing value and
minimizing waste in manufactured
home building process.
2007
Energy Efficiency
SBRA undertakes projects to unearth practical and cost-effective approaches to reducing home energy use. Among these efforts are innovations in building envelope systems, methods for providing efficient air distribution systems and programs to promote the use of high performance appliances.
CA Title 24
Manufactured Homes
Developing and evaluating
energy-efficient, all-electric homes
surpassing state standards.
Ongoing
Equipment Sizing
Simple look-up to select heat pump
and air conditioner capacity for
new manufactured homes.
2005
Structural Insulated Panels
Applications will maximize the
potential benefits associated with
Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs).
Saving Money by
Saving Energy
Low cost energy-saving tips and
techniques designed especially
for manufactured homes.
Health and Safety
Helping industry provide safe and healthy living environments is central to SBRA mission. Projects include evaluating the impact of after-market products on indoor air quality and moisture condensation, effective ventilation strategies and the proper design and installation of vapor barriers.
Fuel Switching
The study on concentrations of
CO, CO2, and NO2 to understand their
contributions to poor IAQ.
January 1999
Moisture Guide
The user-friendly guide, that assists
in recognizing, solving, and
understanding moisture problems.
2000
Moisture Field Study
Study to identify conditions leading
to creating a barrier to moisture movement.
September 2003
Measured Permeance Values
The study on the interior wall covering
meeting a combined perm
rating of 3.0 or greater.
September 2000
Arsenic Rule
Documents on arsenic treatment
options for manufactured home
community owners.
2005
Installations
Seeking to assure that finished homes have the same high quality as when they left the plant, SBRA is redoubling its efforts in the area of site installation. Some project topics include improved foundation and anchoring system design and installation practices, guidelines for proper home setup and research into the techniques for mitigating the damage that can be caused by hurricanes and earthquakes.
Foundation Guide
Guidelines for foundation selection,
such as budget, financing, soil type,
and environmental conditions.
2002
Anchoring Systems
Guidelines for anchor system design
and installation, resulting in an
easy-to-use instruction card.
2000
Model Manufacturer's
Installation Manual
A template that any manufacturer
can take and modify for HUD-code homes.
2009