RGB's services go beyond design. We identify appropriate design and construction strategies by leveraging the depth of our professional experience. We provide a range of critical consulting services that separate us from our industry peers.

When buildings do not perform as designed, either through age and wear or through errors or failures, our staff investigate the issues at hand and develop long-term solutions. Our understanding of past and present building envelope science, building enclosure of walls, roof systems, and components, allows us to recognize and mitigate present conditions, whether they pertain to recent construction or structures with hundreds of years of age.

We document conditions as general wear and tear over a building's life cycle, a possible result of constructed defects, or as caused by water or fire damage. In incidents of possible negligence, RGB offers expert witness/litigation support services.

Building and fire codes can necessitate additional review of documentation. We offer third-party review and code analysis, as well as representation in code variance pleas. We also represent owners in evaluating prepared design documents and through on-site monitoring.

From design to code and construction, RGB’s services relate to the built environment through the entire building life cycle, helping you maximize key factors such as use, durability, resiliency, sustainability, and economics.

The common goal of sustainable design is to meet current needs without compromising the ability to meet future needs. RGB’s team provides inspiration and guidance to steer project teams through an integrated, goal-oriented design process to deliver high performance, sustainable projects on manageable budgets through calculations and simulations and prioritization of design solutions. At a holistic level, the team analyzes the trade-offs implicit in design decisions in order to maximize value to end users.

RGB is a regional leader in sustainable and high performance building design. RGB was a founding member of our chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council. We completed our first LEED certified project in 2003 and became ENERGY STAR partners in 2009.

Our portfolio incorporates best practice design strategies such as increased continuous insulation and air barrier technologies in building enclosures, low VOC finishes, and abundant natural daylight for improved indoor environmental quality. For example, the Rhode Island School for the Deaf was modeled for energy use intensity of 44 kbtu per square foot and to pursue LEED Gold certification. The new Rhode Island State Police Headquarters was certified LEED Silver. RGB is proud to have taken part in design of the new Paul W. Crowley East Bay Met Center in Newport. This school has a primary goal of net-zero site energy use.

Sustainable design and green building have taken root; they are valued throughout society. Studies have revealed benefits such as increased property values, lease values, and increased occupant productivity. RGB’s extensive knowledge ensures design decisions maximize these intrinsic values.

Renewable Energy - A Four Step Process

Our four basic project steps in the development of a project that may incorporate renewable energy also allows for cost control measures. The four project steps are:

• Research
• Reduce
• Refine
• Renewables

Research. The project team first normalizes anticipated usage patterns, such as plug and process loads, indoor environment expectations, and programmatic needs. Studies have shown that unregulated process and plug loads can account for up to 2.2 watts per square foot in buildings such as schools. The project team also seeks technical data related to high-performance building enclosures, HVAC systems, and lighting systems from recently completed projects. Lessons taken from these completed projects guide our research, review, and ultimately, our recommendation.

Reduce. The intent is to reduce projected energy loads for the project and to identify potential trade-offs between various design recommendations. Reduction strategies may include specifics on efficient building sizing and layout, building orientation, high-performance building enclosure systems, high-performance HVAC, and lighting systems.

Refine. Once these characteristics have been defined, the project team refines these systems to further reduce energy use. Refinement strategies may include optimization of glazing percentages to maximize daylight and minimize thermal gains and losses through the building enclosure, optimization of HVAC controls and set-points, and optimization of light fixtures and controls.

Renewables. Finally, after loads have been reduced and systems refined, the project team may be requested to incorporate renewable energy systems. Infrastructure for renewable energy systems may be conceptualized into the base project, while installation of the renewable energy systems can be incorporated in a series of alternates to provide overall project cost control without sacrificing capability.

Sustainable Design Frameworks

There are a number of 'green' design frameworks, including LEED, IgCC, Living Building Challenge, and others. These can all be met with the right design choices, using a similar process of four basic steps which we discussed above. There is no ‘right’ framework, though there are local requirements. For example, NE-CHPS is a requirement in New England for schools, while the Rhode Island Green Buildings Act is typically satisfied through LEED or IgCC. Each framework is designed to encourage the current limits of application to be pushed further than before. It is important that your motivations and potential payoffs are clear, not dictated purely by a standard.

Energy Modeling

To reduce predicted energy use, the design team can utilize energy modeling expertise and experience with mechanical, electrical, and building envelope design. Often, energy modeling is utilized only to verify the performance of proposed designs rather than influence design decisions. When high performance is among your project objectives, it is crucial to utilize the energy model as a design tool to inform the design rather than work in a "rear-view mirror" fashion.

Energy modeling simulates predicted building performance and places it in the context of current codes as well as in a matrix of dollar expenditures. It is as much a sustainable design and energy usage tool as it is an economic model and decision making tool.

RGB has placed variables into software such as eQUEST, a sophisticated DOE2 simulator. A matrix report is generated in which individual energy efficiency measures may be compared with benchmarks and as part of a larger performance measurement.

Results can be used to inform design decisions from an economic standpoint. Awareness of the results early in the design process allow opportunities to be incorporated into design schematics with a realistic view of any cost versus performance trade off that might be made.

Rebates and Incentives

RGB has successfully acquired grants, rebates, and incentives for projects at the local, state, and federal level. With local utility rebates, it is important to involve the utility early in the design process to ensure expectations are clear and requirements are met. Possible grant opportunities should also be identified early in the process as the amount and timing of potential grants may influence how certain technologies are integrated into the project. RGB has also completed multiple projects which have received tax credits.