I am honored to nominate Senior Energy Analyst, Evan Hallas for the David C. Ashley Green Building Advocate of the Year Award. Over the past 15 years, Evan has demonstrated an extraordinary commitment to advancing green building practices in New York State, not merely through advocacy, but through sustained, hands-on leadership that ensures sustainability goals translate from paper into measurable, real-world impact.
Living and breathing building science and environmental stewardship

In both his personal and professional life, Evan embodies a rare and genuine dedication to building science as a means of environmental protection. His commitment extends far beyond the workplace—as a colleague who has observed him in various settings, I can attest that Evan pursues knowledge about building performance with the intensity of a calling rather than a career. He engages friends, family, and strangers alike in conversations about effective sustainable building practices, sharing his passion with infectious enthusiasm to anyone willing to listen.

This deep personal investment manifests professionally in Evan's deliberate cultivation of expertise across every phase of the building lifecycle. He has systematically equipped himself with the skills, training, and knowledge to guide projects from initial energy audits and grant applications through design, construction, commissioning, and years of ongoing performance verification. This comprehensive approach ensures that the ambitious sustainability goals established in early planning phases don't merely remain aspirational, but materialize in buildings that deliver on their environmental promises year after year.
 
Project excellence
 

• NYSERDA Retrofit NY Deep energy retrofit s for NYCHA Ravenswood, Queens, NY, a mid-rise, 48-unit affordable multifamily building. 

• An NREL/DOE-funded electrification retrofit of two buildings at Syracuse University including:

  • Net Zero Living Lab at Winding Ridge A three-year, interdisciplinary research project led by the Syracuse University School of Architecture that focuses on the development of replicable approaches to deep energy retrofits. Part of NYSERDA REV Campus Challenge (https://www.taitem.com/netzerolab)

• Energy consulting and inspections for several all-electric, high-performing multifamily buildings, including numerous projects moving through the NYSERDA Multifamily New Construction Program
  Arthaus - one of the first all-electric multifamily projects in the region (https://www.taitem.com/arthaus)
  Asteri Ithaca- the first all-electric, commercial kitchen in a conference center (https://c5c63315-9752-4934-bba8-80c63eed64a6.usrfiles.com/ugd/c5c633_7c75008615904901beadf2b1628a01eb.pdf)

• Technical support for NYC HPD Electrification Pilot to electrify heating, cooling, and DHW systems in existing affordable housing.

• Evan led commissioning and Aeroseal duct sealing services for City Center, an eight-story building with 192 market-rate apartment units. The building is projected to have 42% source energy savings. The project was awarded GOLD by the National Association of Home Builders, in the 2020 Multifamily Building Awards. His commissioning covered not only the mechanical systems, but he identified and solved multiple problems with insulation and thermal bridging during his commissioning work.
   

Notable Project: Christopher Court Electrification Retrofit
Evan's work on a groundbreaking electrification retrofit project exemplifies his multifaceted approach and lasting impact. Beginning in 2018, he:

• Worked closely with the TK Fabricate team developing an emerging modular electrification technology, providing significant design, engineering and applications (means and methods as well as insights into real world needs and market gap)

• Identified a suitable retrofit site that was a good fit for the technology and had an interested and invested owner

• Conducted initial energy audits and guided the owner through the complex process of securing NYSERDA, utility, and USDA grant funding, developing the project into a multi-faceted demonstration of energy efficiency techniques, new technologies, and affordable housing upgrades

• Continued to support product development of the TKF system by bringing in additional measurement and verification partners to validate system performance of the first prototype system, uncovering and resolving data accuracy and controls issues while validating real-world system capacity

• Led energy modeling in compliance with NYSERDA's RetroFit NY program, helping identify cost-effective, high-impact improvements

• Actively participated in design, through reviews, consulting on equipment selection, control sequences, and electrical connections and captured critical implementation details

• Made regular construction site visits, identifying issues early when they could be most easily addressed

• Provided Aeroseal services after comprehensive searches found no other firms capable of meeting the project's schedule and scope requirements, 

• Secured commissioning services contracts to fully vet installed systems, returning for seasonal retesting
   

The project's pre-production experimental HVAC and domestic hot water systems experienced remarkably few mechanical issues—most problems were traced to traditional fan coil equipment, not the innovative systems. This speaks volumes about Evan's sustained attention to detail.
Even now in 2026, eight years after his initial site visit, contractors continue seeking Evan's expertise on this project, demonstrating the lasting regard the owner, general contractor, and installing contractors have for his work.

Advancing industry knowledge and best practices
Beyond individual projects, Evan has fundamentally advanced how we approach sustainable building in New York:
Research and Development When dissatisfied with heat pump domestic hot water system performance in high-performing multifamily buildings, Evan instigated a series of measurement and verification studies that led to Taitem improving their design approach for these systems. This research has been shared through NYSERDA-supported reporting and presentations at NESEA Boston and other venues, multiplying its impact across the industry.
Large-Scale Portfolio Transformation Evan developed an extensive Carbon Neutral Portfolio Guide for Beacon Communities, providing this major developer with practical, accessible guidance for transitioning to carbon neutrality. This document represents a remarkable synthesis of field and construction knowledge, design expertise, energy efficiency technologies, field verification techniques, and existing codes and resources.
Quality Standards Through years of work in quality assurance development, Evan has consistently pushed for higher standards, making efficiency and quality not aspirational goals but normal business practice in multifamily construction.
Local Policy Impact Evan has provided reviews and input into Ithaca's energy codes, directly shaping the regulatory environment that will govern green building in the region for years to come.
 
Professional + Personal commitment

• Evan has been an ASHRAE member since 2012, maintaining deep engagement with professional standards and continuing education. 

• His expertise serves as an internal compass and resource for energy-related standards and processes across all projects at Taitem and his peers (both clients and colleagues) know they can call on him for expert guidance. 

• Recognizing the lack of qualified Aeroseal providers for local projects, Evan founded his own company to fill this critical niche, ensuring that projects throughout the region could access necessary services for achieving their performance goals.

• Evan led composting efforts at Taitem and ensured nothing went to waste by composting materials at home when the office compost was full or inactive—an example of his commitment to sustainability practices in work and personal life and “walking-the-walk.”  

• Evan broke ground on his new family home this fall alongside his partner Katie — who he first met at an Ithaca Green Building Alliance meeting at Ecovillage Ithaca — and their two children. The house is designed to Passive House standards and Evan is managing the project, providing construction oversight and, of course, hammering nails.

Lasting Impact
The true measure of Evan's advocacy is not found in awards or publications, but in the buildings across New York State that continue to perform as designed years after completion, in the contractors who seek his guidance on new projects because of work he did nearly a decade ago, and in the industry practices that have shifted because of research he initiated and knowledge he shared.
Evan Hallas embodies the spirit of green building advocacy through his unwavering commitment to environmental protection, conservation and care in both his personal and professional endeavors. I enthusiastically recommend Evan Hallas for the David C. Ashley Green Building Advocate of the Year Award. -Theresa Ryan, Business Development Manager, Board of Directors, Taitem Engineering DPC
 
PROFESSIONAL BIO
Evan Hallas, CEM, CPHC (PHIUS), Senior Energy Analyst, has a deep understanding of building science, energy efficiency, and building systems that he has developed over the last 15 years at Taitem. His strong communication skills and commitment to quality have allowed him to establish lasting relationships with clients. Evan recognizes the importance of getting the details right, and to support this, he splits his time between office and field work. Evan uses his experience in both new construction and existing buildings to effectively identify practical applications that improve and enhance every project.
Evan provides energy-efficiency and sustainability consulting for new construction and energy retrofit projects. He currently leads projects in NYSERDA’s New Construction Program, working with the design and construction teams to ensure a project’s compliance with program requirements and applicable code and third-party certification standards from early design through post-construction testing and verification. 
Evan has reviewed reports and energy models for hundreds of buildings, conducted billing analysis, and performed measurement and verification in buildings to support Taitem’s QA efforts. Evan leads QA site visits and inspections throughout all phases of construction for NYSERDA’s Multifamily Performance Program. He has also supported various M&V and demonstration projects, and has extensive duct and envelope testing experience. Most of Evan’s projects are in the multifamily sector, both market-rate and LMI/supported housing. Evan has a B.S. in Environmental Science from the University of Vermont.
 
LINKS

Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/evan-hallas-5310b914/

YOUTUBE VIDEOS
NET ZERO Energy PASSIVE HOUSE Build (Evan comes in at 12:15)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QrF_-uNcFlg
 
Epocha Heat Pump AC (DE92HDSO) with no outdoor unit – Overview - Taitem's Senior Energy Analyst Evan Hallas shares an independent product overview of the Epocha Heat Pump Air Conditioner (HPAC) with no outdoor unit. Evan led one of the first field demonstrations in the U.S. of this groundbreaking heat pump. This video is by far the most-watched video on this heat pump.  
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gIvP8hXrQ9Y
 
SELECT PUBLICATIONS
 
Project leader: Arthaus and Ironworks HP DHW M&V Report (2025 - NYSERDA)
 
Global Retrofit Innovations Come to New York
https://www.nyserda.ny.gov/All-Programs/RetrofitNY-Program/RetrofitNY-Articles/Global-Retrofit-Innovations
Passive House Accelerator covers Hydropod technology
https://passivehouseaccelerator.com/articles/comprehensive-pod-solutions-on-the-way
 
High-Performance Packaged Terminal Heat Pump Market Development and Research Report (2018). Led and conducted market and technical research on Packaged Terminal Heat Pumps for NYSERDA in support of their NextGen HVAC program offering. 
 
SELECT PRESENTATIONS
 Integrative design for better healthcare environments: A case study on the new Cayuga Park Medical Office Building. (American Institute of Architects (AIA) Southern New York, 2025)

 Supported development of In Hot Water - M&V study results from analysis of two CO2 based HP DHW systems. (NESEA Boston 2025)
 
Innovations in heat pump technology. (COE EPIC Buildings Forum, 2024) https://centerofexcellence.syracuse.edu/opportunities-for-innovation-in-heat-pumps/
 
NESEA Pro Building Tour at Ironworks Ithaca. (NESEA Tour participants, 2024)
 
Keeping it Hot: An engineered solution to heat pump hot water. (NYGBC, 2023)
 
Getting Pumped: An Analysis of Central Heat Pump Domestic Hot Water Systems.
(PHIUS Hudson Valley, 2022.
 
New Heat Pump Technologies to the Rescue. (PHIUS, 2021)