SOMERSET - An effort to revitalize the state's beleaguered houseboat industry is set to begin with construction of the prototype of a product for land instead of lake.

The idea is to build energy-efficient modular homes on the same factory lines that normally produce luxury houseboats.

The goal is to boost jobs at the Lake Cumberland-area factories and at material suppliers while creating a model of relatively low-cost, highly energy-efficient houses.

Supporters see a number of potential markets for the houses, including lower-income people, people who want compact vacation homes and empty-nesters looking to downsize.

There might even be a market to use the homes for military housing or to replace dwellings destroyed in disasters such as Hurricane Katrina.