Rhode Island Building Takes Eco-Standards to a New Level

by | Mar 14, 2017

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Hobbs Brook Management (HBM) has successfully transformed an abandoned Rhode Island property into a LEED Gold-certified, Class A office building, reports Facility Executive, noting that the once 305,000 square foot had been vacant since 2009 before it was turned into an investment property.

It is referring to 1301 Atwood Avenue in Johnston, RI, which was initially built in 1973.  It had been a concrete office building that had elements of Brutalist architectural style, the story says, with dark interiors and inefficient electrical systems and single pane glass.

“HBM had little choice but to renovate the building or tear it down,” the story says. “It was determined that gutting the structure and then rebuilding the interior and exterior would be less expensive – and more environmentally friendly – than tearing everything down and starting from scratch …

“The new building envelope features a unitized metal and glass curtain wall, providing high thermal efficiency and allowing daylight to filter deep into the building’s interior,” adds the story titled “Outdated Concrete Building Transformed Into Gold.”

The most significant challenge had been the relative unknown condition of the existing structure, given that it had undergone several renovations since 1973. It said that it could just have torn down the building but that this would have taken too much time, the story says. To bring the building up to speed, HBM added energy efficiency and green building practices

The building also includes a new roof, elevators, bathrooms, it adds, pointing out that sustainable features include a 40% reduction in water from plumbing fixtures, 31% reduction in total energy use and a 30% cut in ventilation exceeding code standards. It has also diverted 85% of its construction waste from landfills while installing car charging stations in the parking spots.

To read the whole story, click here.

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