If you’re considering moving to a residential park home, one question is likely to become increasingly important as you compare different properties:
How energy-efficient are modern park homes?
It’s an understandable concern. A residential park home may look different from a traditional brick-built property, and buyers often want to know how warm it will be during winter, what type of insulation it has and how much energy it could take to heat.
Modern residential park homes have come a long way. New homes built to the latest residential standards can include improved insulation, double glazing, efficient heating systems and better temperature controls designed to make year-round living more comfortable.
However, not every park home has the same specification, and an older pre-owned home can be very different from a newly manufactured model.
Here’s what prospective buyers should know about park home energy efficiency before choosing their next home.
Are Modern Park Homes Energy-Efficient?
Modern residential park homes can be highly energy-efficient, particularly those manufactured to the latest BS 3632 residential standard.
BS 3632 is the British Standard specifically covering residential park homes. The current version, BS 3632:2023, was published in September 2023 and introduced further improvements relating to areas including thermal performance, ventilation and moisture control.
The standard has developed considerably over the years, with energy efficiency becoming an increasingly important part of modern park-home construction.
That means somebody buying a brand-new residential park home today could be looking at a very different property from a park home manufactured several decades ago.
What Is BS 3632?
If you’re searching for a residential park home, BS 3632 is a term worth becoming familiar with.
It is the British Standard used for residential park homes and certain lodges designed for year-round occupation.
The 2023 revision includes improvements intended to reduce heat loss through areas such as walls and floors, alongside enhanced requirements around ventilation and vapour control.
When viewing a new park home, ask the manufacturer, park or advertiser:
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Which version of BS 3632 has the home been manufactured to?
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What insulation specification does it have?
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What type of heating system is fitted?
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What glazing is included?
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Is an Energy Efficiency Calculation available?
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Are any energy-efficiency upgrades available?
Getting the exact specification makes it much easier to compare different homes.
How Are Residential Park Homes Insulated?
Insulation plays a major part in how comfortable and energy-efficient any home feels.
Heat can escape through the:
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Roof
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External walls
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Floor
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Windows
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Doors
Modern residential park homes therefore use insulation throughout the structure to reduce heat loss.
The latest BS 3632 standard strengthened thermal requirements, including improvements to the U-values of floors and walls. A U-value measures how easily heat passes through part of a building; broadly speaking, the lower the U-value, the better its thermal performance.
When comparing homes, don’t simply ask whether a model is “well insulated”.
Ask for the actual specification.
Do Modern Park Homes Have Double Glazing?
Double glazing is common in modern residential park homes and can contribute significantly to keeping the interior comfortable.
Good-quality windows and doors help reduce heat escaping from the property while also helping minimise draughts.
Some manufacturers may also offer enhanced glazing options, including triple glazing on certain homes or bespoke specifications.
If you’re buying brand new, check what comes as standard and what is an optional upgrade.
What Heating Systems Do Park Homes Use?
Heating systems vary between models, parks and manufacturers.
Many modern residential park homes have central heating systems with radiators throughout the property, giving the home a familiar feel for somebody moving from a conventional house or bungalow.
The latest BS 3632 standard also includes requirements around improved heating control. For example, manufacturer Omar notes that homes it produces to BS 3632:2023 have thermostatic radiator valves to give residents greater control over individual room temperatures.
Depending on the home and park, other technologies may also be possible.
Some manufacturers now offer options such as:
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Air-source heat pumps
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Underfloor heating
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Smart thermostats
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Solar photovoltaic panels
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Battery storage
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Mechanical ventilation with heat recovery
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Enhanced insulation
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Triple glazing
Availability depends on the manufacturer, model and infrastructure at the individual park, so these features should never be assumed to be standard.
Are Park Homes Warm in Winter?
A modern residential park home manufactured for permanent occupation is designed for year-round living, including during colder months.
Good insulation, double glazing and an effective heating system should all contribute to maintaining a comfortable indoor temperature.
But just as with conventional houses, energy performance can vary.
A recently manufactured park home built to current standards may perform differently from a much older model that has less insulation or an older heating system.
If you’re considering a pre-owned park home, ask about:
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The age of the home
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Its original construction standard
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Boiler or heating-system age
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Window specification
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Any insulation improvements
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Maintenance history
A professional survey may also be worth considering when purchasing an older home.
Does a Smaller Home Mean Lower Energy Bills?
One attraction of downsizing is that you may have less space to heat.
Residential park homes are typically single-storey properties, and many buyers move to them after living in a larger traditional house.
Heating a smaller area could potentially require less energy, but you shouldn’t assume that moving to a park home will automatically result in a particular saving on your energy bills.
Actual running costs depend on factors including:
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Size of the home
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Insulation
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Heating system
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Energy prices
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Your chosen room temperature
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How many people live there
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How much time you spend at home
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Local weather
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The energy tariff or supply arrangements
Two households living in identical park homes could therefore have very different energy costs.
How Are Gas and Electricity Charged on a Residential Park?
This is another important question to ask before purchasing.
Energy arrangements can differ from one residential park to another.
In some cases, electricity, gas or other utilities may be supplied through the park owner rather than directly from a utility company. Government guidance for park-home buyers notes that residents may be charged separately for utilities supplied through the site.
Before buying, ask:
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Who supplies the electricity?
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How is usage measured?
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How will I be billed?
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What type of heating does the home use?
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Is gas supplied to the pitch?
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Are there standing or administration charges?
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Can I choose my own energy supplier?
Knowing how the park handles utilities is just as important as understanding the efficiency of the home itself.
What About Ventilation and Condensation?
Making a home more airtight and better insulated has many advantages, but ventilation remains essential.
Without adequate airflow, moisture created through everyday activities such as cooking, showering and drying clothes can contribute to condensation.
BS 3632:2023 introduced enhanced ventilation and moisture-control requirements alongside its improvements to thermal efficiency.
Modern homes may therefore include features such as permanent ventilation and improved airflow around particular areas of the property.
Owners can also help by:
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Using extractor fans
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Keeping ventilation openings clear
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Heating rooms appropriately
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Ventilating after cooking or showering
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Following the manufacturer’s guidance
Energy efficiency isn’t simply about trapping as much heat as possible. A comfortable home needs an appropriate balance between insulation, heating and ventilation.
Can Residential Park Homes Have Solar Panels or Heat Pumps?
Potentially.
Energy technology is developing across the housing market, and park homes are no exception.
Some manufacturers now offer renewable-energy and efficiency options such as solar panels, battery storage, air-source heat pumps and smart heating controls.
However, whether these can be installed will depend on several factors, including the home itself and the individual residential park.
If renewable energy is important to you, discuss it with both the manufacturer and park before purchasing or installing anything.
Never assume alterations can be made without approval.
Do Park Homes Have Energy Performance Certificates?
You may be accustomed to checking an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) when buying a conventional property.
Park homes are different.
The UK Government’s park-home buying guidance states that an EPC is not required when purchasing a park home, although buyers may still wish to commission a survey and inspect available warranties and supporting documentation.
Some manufacturers participating in industry certification schemes provide an Energy Efficiency Calculation with their homes instead.
If energy performance is particularly important to you, ask what information is available for the exact home you’re considering rather than assuming there will be a standard EPC.
New vs Older Park Homes: Does Age Matter?
Age can make a considerable difference.
A modern residential park home built to BS 3632:2023 benefits from standards that simply didn’t exist when many older park homes were manufactured.
That doesn’t mean an older home will necessarily be inefficient. Improvements may have been made over its lifetime, including:
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Replacement double glazing
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New boilers
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Heating upgrades
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Improved insulation
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New doors
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More efficient appliances
However, if energy efficiency is one of your priorities, comparing the age, construction standard and current specification of each property is worthwhile.
What Should Buyers Look for in an Energy-Efficient Park Home?
When viewing a residential park home, don’t be afraid to ask detailed questions.
A useful checklist includes:
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What year was the home manufactured?
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Is it built to BS 3632?
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Which version of the standard applies?
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What type of insulation is used?
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Is it double glazed?
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What heating system is fitted?
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How old is the boiler or heating system?
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Are individual room heating controls provided?
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Is an Energy Efficiency Calculation available?
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Are renewable-energy options available?
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How are electricity and gas supplied and charged?
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What warranties apply to the home and heating equipment?
For a brand-new home, the manufacturer or park should be able to provide detailed specifications.
Are Residential Park Homes Suitable for Permanent Living?
Yes — provided you are purchasing a residential park home situated on a park appropriately licensed for permanent residential use.
This is different from buying a static caravan or holiday lodge on a holiday park.
Even if a holiday lodge has excellent insulation or has been manufactured to a high specification, the physical construction of the home does not determine whether you can live there permanently.
The park’s planning permission, site licence and occupancy conditions matter too.
If you're searching for your permanent main residence, make sure you're specifically looking at residential park homes and residential parks.
So, How Energy-Efficient Are Modern Residential Park Homes?
The simple answer is that modern residential park homes can offer impressive levels of energy efficiency, particularly when built to the latest BS 3632 standard.
Advances in insulation, glazing, heating controls, ventilation and renewable-energy technology mean today's new park homes can be designed around comfortable year-round living.
But there isn't one energy-efficiency figure that applies to every park home.
The model, age, construction standard, heating system, specification and how you use the property will all influence its performance and running costs.
That's why the best approach is to compare individual homes carefully and ask for as much technical information as possible before purchasing.
Find Residential Park Homes for Sale with Parkmove
If you're considering downsizing or looking for a new place to call home, Parkmove brings together residential park homes for sale at parks across the UK.
You can explore different homes, locations and residential parks before contacting the relevant advertiser directly for more information about specifications, availability, park fees and utility arrangements.
Parkmove is an independent advertising marketplace and does not own or operate the parks advertised on the website. Property specifications, energy systems, charges and park terms are determined by the individual park, manufacturer or seller, so always confirm the latest information directly before purchasing.
