Welcome our brand new credentialed LEED green rater who is serving the Upstate New York Region and behind to help people (re)build healthier and greener buildings.
Courtney has provided consulting services for a wide range of buildings, including commercial and multifamily projects. She currently provides consulting and technical support to project teams on sustainable building design and manages the LEED certification process from project inception through certification. Courtney specializes in LEED-NC, -EBOM, and -CS rating systems. Courtney holds a BA in Business Management from Western Michigan University and a MS in Energy Management from the New York Institute of Technology. She also holds a Certificate in Green Building Design from Cooper Union in New York City. Courtney became a LEED AP in 2008 and a LEED for Homes Green Rater in 2017.
Taitem Engineering, PC, is a consulting engineering firm focused on energy efficiency, green building design, and renewable energy. Our team of MEPS engineers, energy analysts and sustainability consultants help buildings perform better, and help local and NYS energy programs deliver savings. Taitem’s award-winning solar division has installed hundreds of solar photovoltaic systems for homes and businesses. Additional services include Aeroseal duct sealing, commissioning, LEED certification, research and training. In 2013, Taitem earned B-Corporation status, meeting rigorous standards of social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency. “Taitem” stands for “technology as if the Earth mattered,” reflecting the firm’s commitment to the environment.
Courtney is taking her own home in Ithica through the LEED for Homes process and aiming for Platinum along with the Zero Energy Capable Certification.
Below are the highlights and features of her home the Hemsin House.
- Located in Ithaca, New York
- Hemsin is the name of the region Umit is from in Turkey, it means “always fun”
- 2,240 sqft single family home, two-floors, new construction
- Zero Energy Building, LEED for Homes Platinum certification pending
- WaterSense and Indoor AirPLUS certification pending
- Energy Star certified
- 1.8 ACH 50
- HERS score 8
- R-45 mineral wool cavity exterior wall insulation, R-60 ceiling blown-in cellulose insulation, R-16 underslab insulation, R-16 vertical slab insulation at 4 inch length.
- Advanced framing methods applied; for instance, 24 inch OC for exterior walls
- Slab on grade
- 14-15% Window to Wall Ratio (WWR)
- Half of the house windows are R-5 and other half are R-3.5
- DHW will be provided by an air-source heat pump
- One mini-split air source heat pump provides heating
- Supplemental electric resistance baseboards are installed in the bedrooms, but should only if space temperature goes down to 64°F
- Energy Star appliances throughout
- Energy Star-certified metal roof
- Heat Pump Clothes Dryer
- 6.9 kw solar pv array
- Achieved lots of daylighting by using a wedged wall around the windows and highly reflective surfaces and paints throughout
- Low-VOC paints, coatings, sealants, and adhesives
- Incorporated local hardwood and local reclaimed hardwood
- No invasive and native landscaping
- Stormwater management design features swales that feed a pond on-site
- 100% post-consumer recycled paper and petroleum-free resin kitchen countertops
Make sure you contact Courtney before your next new or residential renovation to ensure it is cerified and built, BETTER.
