| Robert Valenti Design Build is a construction, remodeling, and project-planning company with over 15 years of experience. Our staff & associates include experienced carpenters, a certified designer, a licensed construction supervisor, and educated energy efficiency & building science specialists. We have worked on projects for homeowners, general contractors, and business owners. | ||||||
| We help you create durable, energy efficient, sustainable, and healthy buildings using advanced techniques and modern building science. Function, aesthetics, performance, and value are balanced to deliver beautiful, high performance homes, buildings, and interiors. | ||||||
| We work closely with our clients, sub-contractors, architects, and other construction professionals to achieve project objectives. This integrated process leads to stunning results! We consistently exceed our client's expectations by focusing on: | ||||||
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select a topic below for more detail |
licenses & registrations
| Massachusetts - Construction Supervisor License (CSL) |
| Massachusetts - Home Improvement Contractor (HIC) 156120 |
| Connecticut - Home Improvement Contractor (HIC) 0624009 |
| Rhode Island - Contractor registration 25664 |
professional certifications
| Design Computing: Computer Aided Drafting & Design | Certificate - Boston Architectural college |
| Sustainable Building Design & Construction | Certificate - Boston Architectural College |
sustainability & energy efficiency education
college courses |
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| Forum in Design Principles | Boston Architectural College |
| Sustainable Design as a Way of Thinking | Boston Architectural College |
| Green Practice: Energy & Air Quality Principles | Boston Architectural College |
| Environmental Systems: HVAC | Boston Architectural College |
| Zero Energy Home: What, How, and If | Boston Architectural College |
| The Economics of Green Building | Boston Architectural College |
| Materials, Resources, & IEQ | Boston Architectural College |
| Energy Conservation & Efficiency | Greenfield Community College |
| Residential Energy Auditing | Greenfield Community College |
| Green House Gas Assessment | Greenfield Community College |
| Passive Solar Technology | Greenfield Community College |
| Intro to Geothermal Technology | Greenfield Community College |
workshops |
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| Deep Energy Retrofits | NESEA - 2010 - Paul Eldrenkamp |
| Advanced Building Science | NESEA Building Energy 09 - Joe Lstiburek |
| Deep Energy Retrofits | 2009 Sustainable Energy Summit - Marc Rosenbaum |
webinars |
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| The Life of a Solar panel: Minimizing Environmental Impacts | Product Stewardship Institute - Mulvaney, Santarris & Davis |
| The High Performance House: Separating Greenwashing Hype From Best Practices in Building Science | Kevin Stack - Ecological Builder, LEED AP - Northeast Natural Homes |
| High-End Green: Can Luxury and Sustainability Coexist? | David Warner - Redhorse Constructors |
| Got Mold? Energy Efficiency & Moisture Management | GreenBuildingAdvisor.com Peter Yost & Mike Guertin |
| Cradle to Cradle Design | William McDonough - Architect - TED.com |
| Seas of Plastic: The Great Pacific Garbage Patch | Capt. Charles Moore - Algalita Marine Research Foundation - TED.com |
company history
I began my career in the construction industry in the early 1990's in California. I was a partner in a general contracting company that installed high-end A/V systems, built custom furniture, and performed home improvements. This experience helped shape a profound interest in design and architecture. |
| Upon returning to Massachusetts, I worked for a home improvement contractor until branching off to start my own MA licensed remodeling company. I had been very observant. At this point in my career, I realized that consumption and wastefulness were big problems in the construction industry. |
| Recycling and reusing materials was, and still is a hallmark of my projects. This was how I expressed my understanding that we are living wastefully, and my desire to do what I can to be more responsible. The "green" movement as we know it today was in its infancy, but I read articles and books that helped shape my understanding of sustainable design. |
| I continued to do projects for local homeowners and business owners, and also began to work for various general contractors as an independent contractor. I would perform all phases of carpentry on restaurant and retail projects. While this experience taught me a lot about construction processes and project management, it also showed me the incredible wastefulness of some corporate construction. Materials are thrown away by the ton, the buildings waste energy, and poor material choices are made. I would often salvage discarded materials for projects. There had to be a better way to build, I wanted to do more. I wanted to be a part of the solution... |
I began seeking out education in my field. I wanted to augment my carpentry abilities and provide better service for my clients, so I decided to focus on design and drafting first. I discovered the Boston Architectural College (BAC). They offer several certificate programs for professionals. I continued to read about the green building movement, and formed Robert Valenti Design Build in 2007. After completing my Design Computing Certificate, I enrolled in the online Sustainable Design Certificate at the BAC. Having an understanding of sustainable living, I was very interested in learning more. Shortly after forming RVDB, I completed the 48 week Sustainable Building Design & Construction Certificate from the BAC. I also attained several certificates of completion from Greenfield Community College's Renwable Energy/Energy Efficiency - Sustainable Practices in Construction program |
| Sustainable design education and practice has given me a solid, fundamental, and detailed understanding of sustainability, energy, materials, air quality, water usage, building science, and more. Most importantly, it has given me the tools to build in an environmentally responsible way, and provide the highest level of quality and value for my clients. I also have the opportunity to be a contributor to the most important shift in our history, the move toward a sustainable & prosperous society. |
| - Robert Valenti |
associations & conferences
Clean Energy Connections - November 2009 |
| Ideas for Living home Show - November 2009 |
| 2009 Sustainable Energy Summit - May 2009 |
| NESEA Building Energy 09 - March 2009 |
| Countdown to Zero - Zero Net Energy Home Forum - April, 2009 |
| Springfield Green City Forum - Springfield, MA - April, 2008 |
| Onething Conservation Expo - Hartford, CT - October, 2008 |
| Western Mass Green Consortium |
| Pioneer Valley Local First |
Western Massachusetts Home Builders Association |