Taitem is proud to announce that Senior Sustainability Consultant Courtney Royal has been named a LEED for Homes Green Rater. She is one of only six accredited professionals serving upstate New York with a local presence. Courtney works with homeowners and multifamily developers to create beautiful green buildings that minimize operating costs, while earning national recognition from the US Green Building Council.
LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. The LEED for Homes and LEED for Multifamily Midrise certifications guide building owners to achieve environmental and financial goals. As a Green Rater for Taitem Engineering, Courtney Royal consults and provides technical support for new construction and major renovations of existing homes and multifamily dwellings up to eight stories tall.
Q: Why engage a Green Rater for a home or multifamily building?
A: Because Green Raters help:
- Build for durability and sustainability
- Improve the environment and your bottom line
- Lower utility bills by avoiding energy waste
- Support good health and beautiful aesthetics with natural materials, intentional daylighting, and clean indoor air.
- Comply with local laws that require LEED certification (in certain locations)
- Earn Energy Star certification then take it up a notch. Achieving a LEED Green Home rating satisfies the Energy Star requirements while also addressing water use, site impacts, building materials, and more.
- Qualify for property tax abatements (in certain locations)
Taitem is responsible for on-site verification and works with the owner’s project team to complete the LEED for Homes Workbook certification packet. Courtney is involved from the design phase through construction completion to ensure sustainable features are incorporated and project certification targets are achieved.
Walking her talk
Courtney’s most recent project is her own home, completed in December 2016 on a hilltop overlooking Cayuga Lake. The house, collaboratively designed with her engineer husband Umit Sirt (also of Taitem), is slated to earn both the LEED for Homes Platinum and Zero Energy Capable designations. A few of its many notable features include:
- Light-filled interior created with a low 15% Window to Wall Ratio (WWR); wedged walls surround all windows and highly reflective paints and surfaces enhance the space.
- Gorgeous compressed-paper countertops with the look and feel of stone
- Heat pumps for clothes drying, domestic hot water, and of course heating and cooling.
- Stormwater management using grassed swales to feed an on-site pond
How do I learn more?
Schedule a complimentary consultation with Courtney. Expect her to ask great questions, listen for your goals, and clarify which building features matter most to you, including the look and feel of your renovated or future home. She will describe her process of working with the architect, contractor and entire team, and the benefits you can expect as a result.
Contact Courtney Royal at 607-277-1118 x126 or croyal@taitem.com.
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