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David DeQuattro RGB Architects

The Benefits of Green Architecture in Design

For modern architects, it’s easier than ever to be green.

Motivated by worsening climate change and increased consumer demand, David DeQuattro reports that green building is now a $104 billion market. The sale of smart green buildings in the U.S. has risen from $1.3 billion in 2016 to $4.3 billion in 2020. The global green building market? It was $341.8 billion in 2020.

Green architecture is everywhere — community centers, high schools, colleges, apartments, and single-family homes. In the push toward a zero net energy future and prioritizing the protection of natural resources, green architecture is increasingly seen as essential.

Green Architecture Benefits

In Melbourne, Australia, the power of green architecture is on full display. The Pixel Building is the country’s first carbon-neutral office structure. It produces all its own water and power on site. It has a rainwater-catching roof, sports numerous wind turbines, and is capable of processing wastewater.

The Pixel Building shows the overall potential of green architecture and sustainable design. The clear benefits include:

Improved Efficiency

Supplies of energy and water continue to dwindle and green architecture has found innovative ways to not just protect such vital resources but preserve them.

This is particularly important for large urban city centers where such shared resources are particularly strained.

Energy efficiency is key. Using alternative sources, including wind, sun, and water power, helps eliminate pollution from the ecosystem associated with costly nonrenewable energy sources. All told, green buildings reduce emissions of carbon dioxide by an average of 34 percent.

Long-Lasting

The sustainable materials prevalent in green architecture are built to last. This includes roof and deck materials that are typically upcycled even under harsh natural elements. They also eliminate the use of chemicals that have been shown to be detrimental to humans and the environment.

Operating Costs Reduced

Since green architecture optimizes energy output it also reduces the consumption of energy, cutting down energy costs considerably for corporations and individuals who live and work in green buildings.

Buildings that are certified through Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) have been shown to lower everyday costs year after year.

One study found that LEED buildings cost maintenance costs by nearly 20 percent when compared to traditional buildings. Many governments also offer tax benefits for new green buildings or green retrofits.

David DeQuattro

Better Quality of Life

In addition to eschewing harmful chemicals, green architecture has been widely shown to improve air quality for those who live and work in such buildings or in the surrounding areas.

A clean environment also may lead to increased productivity at work, and employees have shown improved focus and concentration. Green architecture achieves this in ways both big and small.

For example, interior design that integrates plants effectively maintains air circulation and quality which often lowers the risk of a range of pulmonary diseases.

Job Creation

The push toward green building has reportedly created millions of new jobs and bolstered the U.S. economy. In just three years, from 2011 to 2014, the national gross domestic product rose by nearly $170 billion.

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David DeQuattro RGB Architects

Promenade Apartments: One of Rhode Island’s Biggest Historic Renovation Projects

The luxury apartment complex, aptly named the Promenade Apartments, was completed in 2005. Boasting 220 loft apartments totaling 278,000 square feet, it was one of Rhode Island’s biggest historic renovation projects — and the result is simply sublime.

The high-end apartment building was constructed as part of the wider Foundry Complex by RGB, a diversified project management, architecture, and interior design firm, managed by David DeQuattro. By the end of the project, the company had completed $80 million in work throughout numerous phases and buildings, equating to over a whopping 25 acres.

A History of the Building

Those who reside in the Promenade Apartments of today may be unaware of the building’s rich history. Paying homage to the property’s utilization over the many years, the living areas retain the exposed red brick walls that hold many stories within them.

Between 1865 and 1957, the Brown and Sharpe Manufacturing Company crafted machine tools on the site of the now Promenade Apartments. But since 1967, the Guerra family has toiled to renovate the buildings.

As mentioned above, the wider project is the Foundry Complex, which boasts everything from residential suites to office blocks to entertainment quarters. And, perhaps without realizing it at the time, it set the national bar for adaptive mixed-use properties in a historical setting.

The Promenade is The Foundry’s Biggest Project to Date

Promenade Apartments is monumental for the Foundry Complex, marking its largest project. The 220 luxury apartments include studio, one-, and two-bedroom apartments with beautiful exposed red brick walls, eight-foot-high thermally glazed windows, ceilings as tall as 17 feet, granite countertops in the kitchens, and panoramic views of Providence.

And if the architectural spectacle wasn’t enough for potential residents, the building boasts a range of amenities for its inhabitants to utilize. Perhaps the most notable include the following:

  • A huge fitness center complete with exercise bikes, ellipticals, treadmills, TVs, and resistance machines (to name a few)
  • An indoor swimming pool featuring a retractable roof and a hot tub
  • An event room exclusively for residents
  • A business center with high-speed internet connectivity, copiers, and faxes
  • A freight elevator for easy lifting
  • Two covered loading docks
  • A media area with a large projection screen
David DeQuattro

A Historic Project with a Modern Feel

The National Park Service certified the Promenade Apartments as a Historic Renovation, with the sale of the historic tax credits allowing its development to become a rental project rather than a complex of condominiums.

According to the architectural and interior design service providers for the project, RGB, more than one million square feet of major renovation and window replacements were acquired through the Historic Commission.

But despite the historic renovation status, the apartments manage to elicit a modern feel in the best way. The expert architects on this project were able to retain the essence of the age-old building while affording residents exuberantly updated touches.

And the luxuriously high ceilings, state-of-the-art appliances, and color schemes only add to the open-plan nature of the apartments.

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David DeQuattro

Overview of the Chapel of St Gabriel

The Town of Norwood offers several sights and attractions for those visiting the area. However, for locals in particular, the Chapel of St Gabriel holds a key role in local culture.

This memorable and intriguing destination offers a serene and tranquil location. Accordingly, despite its relatively simple design, it is widely considered the architectural gem of the town.

However, despite its aesthetics, many locals overlook the importance of this iconic chapel. As such, David DeQuattro discusses all of the most vital information about this iconic building to help others learn about and preserve its century-long history.

Location of the Chapel of St Gabriel

The Chapel of St Gabriel is found in Norwood Town and is featured at the Highland Cemetery. Still, the building itself displayed numerous older features at the time of its original erection. For example, the original door was created from century-old wood, repurposed.

Construction

The site itself was built in 1903 as a tribute to the parents of Anna Smith Day and Lewis Smith Day, who later donated the property to the Town Council on the basis of the building remaining free to use for funerals in the local area.

Consecration

The building was consecrated as a holy site in 1903, upon the time of its founding. It was at this time that the property became officially dedicated to the Rhoades and Day families, who had contributed to the growth and prosperity of the region.

Restoration

After the original construction in 1903, it would be around one hundred years before the chapel required further support. However, restorative works were completed in 2019 to restore the former status of the building, with the property’s stained glass windows and copper lanterns being of particular focus during this process.

David DeQuattro

Key Features of the Property

The chapel has numerous key features that distinguish it from others in the area. It is built in a striking Neo-Gothic style and features numerous architectural feats that help contribute to the iconic look.

The chapel was designed by the now-known Cram and Ferguson Architects, who crafted the exterior from seam-faced granite and limestone. The interior of this stunning property is very similar, but with white marble also woven into the design throughout the design.

To the left of the chapel’s altar, an iron grill separates the chapel itself from visitors. Resting behind this, the bodies of the original donors of the chapel rest. A plaque on the exterior also commemorates their generosity in donating the chapel to the council a century prior.

Final Thoughts

No doubt, the Chapel of St Gabriel is an influential aspect of local history. However, the property required extensive renovations in 2019 to restore its original features. Fortunately, thanks to the excellent workmanship applied, the site now offers the same original beauty as it did upon its inception.

Presently, the Board of Selectment oversees the chapel and its guests. And although it’s a seemingly simple chapel comparatively, this stunning building is often considered to be one of the most breathtaking iterations of the style.

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David DeQuattro RGB Architects

National Guard Training Facility – The Counter Drug Administration and Training Establishment

The Rhode Island Army National Guard has commissioned David DeQuattro and RGB Architects team to design its brand-new Counter Drug Administrative and Training Facility. Located in Coventry, Rhode Island, the project is estimated to cost around $4.35 million to serve federal, state, and municipal markets.

The firm is a highly diverse architecture, interior design, and project management company that serves a formidable range of clients in New England and throughout Rhode Island. The firm keeps ecological and innovation at its core, so it’s no wonder the RI Army National Guard chose this enterprise to design their structure.

The Counter Drug Training Facility

The National Guard Counter Drug program bridges the gap between non-DoD and DoD institutions in the battle against illegal substances and countrywide threats.

The highly qualified team supports detecting, preventing, disrupting, and curtailing drug trafficking activities using interagency efforts to minimize the threats and negative impacts of transnational criminal organizations.

And this new training facility will help the Rhode Island Army National Guard better deliver the program, keeping the state (and nation) a safer place for the population.

According to the facility design, the establishment will include training areas, dormitories, and administrative areas. Specifically, the rooms will include:

  • showers
  • barracks
  • latrines
  • lockers
  • offices
  • arms vaults
  • storage vaults
  • classrooms
  • parking spaces;
  • and much more. 

The building will accommodate as many as ten full-time staff and a minimum capacity of 50 trainees.

The National Guard Training Facility Location

According to the site boundary map posted by the project’s architects, the Counter Drug Training Facility will sit behind structures already on the Camp Fogarty Training Site, covering an expansive area.

The design team has already conducted the site selection study and drawn the conceptual design for the new facility. However, it is currently waiting for the Rhode Island Army National Guard to direct them, so construction documents and bidding can commence.

David DeQuattro

The Project Adds to The Already-Extensive Offerings at the Camp Fogarty Training Grounds

The new Counter Drug Training Facility will add to the Rhode Island Army National Guard’s huge operations at Camp Fogarty. Once construction is complete, it will join the Readiness/Reserve Center (formally known as the Joint Force Headquarters) as the second exciting recent addition.

The Readiness/Reserve Center is an 80,766-square-foot, two-story building containing administrative, logistics, and training offices for the Rhode Island Air National Guard and the Rhode Island Army National Guard.

Consolidating personnel once housed in the Schofield Armory and Command Readiness Center, the building stands on a federally owned 22-acre site.

It boasts a Joint Operations Center (JOC), Collaboration Area, integrated Army Guard and Air Guard command room, and a NIPRNET. All the classrooms and training areas are technologically enhanced, allowing trainees to satisfy their capabilities and meet their goals.

The National Guard employed Pond for this development and RGB Architects for the soon-to-be-built Counter Drug Training Facility. However, both maintain the exterior aesthetic utilized in other areas of Camp Fogarty for flawless cohesion.

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David DeQuattro RGB Architects

Rhode Island Fire Training Academy

One of the most recent projects undertaken by David DeQuattro and RGB Architects was to create a new fire training academy in Exeter, RI.

The design was completed in two phases. The first was to create a “burn” building measuring 3,550 square feet, a training tower, a storage building, parking spaces for emergency vehicles, and a 15,000 square feet training area. The second and final phase incorporated the fire department headquarters and classroom/office space.

Below, more on what the project entailed:

About the Rhode Island Fire Training Academy

Rhode Island has over 6000 firefighters enlisted within the state, so it is important that they all have access to the best training facility possible.

Holding the training facility in one place means that a coordinated effort can be made to ensure everyone is on the same page, and that every fire department has access to the same state-of-the-art technologies and facilities to enhance their practice.

These requirements included a top-of-the-range “burn” building for firefighting simulations, as well as space to carry out ground operations training. Classroom space was also required for theoretical learning.

Phase 1

The first phase of design and construction for the Rhode Island Fire Training Academy was to create the practical training space needed for the state’s fire service.


This included a “burn” building, which is used by firefighters to set controlled fires to allow them to carry out a range of tests, training exercises, and simulations. This needed to be created and designed to strict specifications to not only ensure operability, but also the safety of firefighters training in the space.

The large, 15,000 square feet training ground was also completed in phase 1. This large area allows firefighters to carry out larger maneuvers, including learning how to operate larger fire trucks and equipment.

Construction of the structures and spaces for phase 1 concluded in 2011.

Phase 2

Phase 2 revolved around creating the other buildings needed at the site. A large, 8,100 square feet complex was designed as a place for fire department administration. This building also houses the classrooms used by firefighters for non-practical training and learning while at the academy.

This final phase of design and construction was completed in 2017, with the official opening ceremony for the training academy taking place on June 4th of that year.

David DeQuattro

Future Impact of the Rhode Island Fire Training Academy

The $5.5 million project has helped to train hundreds of new firefighters across the state, including a program allowing high schoolers in Providence to complete a 150-hour training course to help to train the firefighters of the future.

This state-of-the-art training hub also reduces costs for local fire departments by allowing for collective training of trainees and firefighters from across the state, meaning that costly training programs don’t need to be run for only one or two applicants at a time.

About RGB Architects

This is not the first municipal project for RGB Architects, who have designed many other plans for government buildings across Rhode Island and beyond.

Other projects have included health centers, schools, police stations, and libraries.

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David DeQuattro

Station Row Apartments: The Second Part of the Capital Cove Development

The Station Row Apartments, situated along the beautiful Moshassuck River, is the second phase of the three-part development. The multi-phased project is committed to utilizing green construction materials and has been built to meet Gold LEED Design Guidelines.

The first phase of the project was finished in 2005, and the second phase was restarted in 2015 and marked complete as the trees began losing their leaves in 2019.

Below, David DeQuattro discusses the benefits of Station Row, the utilization of modern technology in construction, and the popularity with commuters.

Vibrant Living and Working

Station Row contains a 169 residential apartments with enclosed parking areas alongside a purpose-built leasing office, various amenity spaces, a gorgeous rooftop patio, and additional community areas.

Those lucky to claim an apartment in Station Row benefit from the views of the Capital Building on one side and the Roger Williams National Park on the other. Residents also receive uninterrupted pedestrian access to key transportation links along the Riverwalk, as well as entertainment and dining opportunities.

Excellently positioned along Canal Street adjacent to the Providence train station in the Capitol District, the $42 million project is noted for being the first establishment built with Rebuild RI tax credits.

While many were initially concerned about the proximity to the commuter and Amtrak rail lines due to the noise production, the project’s developers successfully addressed and negated the problem. Thus, Station Row residents can expect the best from their brand-new apartments.

A Look into the Apartments Themselves

The apartments consist of studios, one-bedroom, two-bedroom, and three-bedroom homes with modern interior design and efficient energy ratings. Station Row has been constructed with the creative commuters of Providence in mind.

Phase two of the Capital Cove development has been constructed with a wood frame over steel and concrete podiums, working to stretch across the existing Amtrak Railway Culvert.

The homes are set to redefine city life with open-plan, light-filled layouts, up-to-date appliances, huge windows, and attractive, high ceilings.

The kitchens are spacious, with many sitting next to airy living rooms decorated in a modern yet homely style. As for the bathrooms, they come complete with storage space, above-the-mirror lighting, conveniently located sockets for shavers, and decent-sized bathtubs with showerheads.

Regardless of the apartment size chosen, residents will receive panoramic views of Providence’s breathtaking skyline.

David DeQuattro

Modern Apartments in an Interesting Location

Interestingly, the site’s location used to be a ship cove. As time passed, the land was backfilled to create developable land. To ensure the load-bearing capacity of the earth was suitable for the establishment, contractors used a variety of improvement techniques, including rigid inclusions and rammed aggregate piers.

The Place to Be for Commuters

Thanks to its proximity to major transport links, commuters will love the delightfully decorated apartments. Station row is a very much welcome addition to the area, showcasing the community’s rapid cultural and creative revival. Complete with riverside walks to amenities, residents obtain many benefits from living here.