Jeff leveled and completed the canopy on November 4, 2008.  The logo was painted and the roofing was attached.  It looks great, and just in time for the start of winter.

Donna L. Zariczny at the Inscale Booth

Avis Valentine

Environmental architects branch out

BY JIM MARTIN

Published: July 27. 2008 12:01AM

WARREN — The tax assessor had one question for husband-and-wife architects Jeff and Donna Zariczny after a walk through their unfinished home.

“When’s it going to be done?” he asked.

“Probably not until I’m dead,” the 44-year-old Jeff Zariczny said, jokingly.

The couple, owners of Inscale PC, a three-person architectural firm in Warren, rarely has the luxury of working without a deadline.

In fact, one of their biggest jobs to date was the $9 million Chautauqua Suites, a 90-room hotel with an attached 20,000-square-foot exposition center. They were given exactly 12 months to permit, design and manage the building project to completion, and they made it.

The house where they live with their two children, located just steps away from their office in Warren, is a different story.

It is a testament to both their favorite ideas and the latest in so-called green building technology. The house, which has nine levels — most of which are separated by just a few steps — was built using insulated concrete forms and is topped with a steel roof that resembles slate and is expected to last 75 years.

The house, which has water heat built into the floors, weighs in at about 800,000 pounds, roughly eight times as heavy as a conventional home of the same size. That means 50,000-pound floors that don’t budge if the kids jump on them or if high winds blow.

It is also a work in progress that Jeff Zariczny says is a reflection of his views on architecture.

An ongoing project
Even though they’ve only lived there a couple years, they’re making changes. They like the tall windows that bring in lots of light and views of the distant hillside into their living room. They’re planning, however, to eliminate two of those windows in favor of a fireplace.

There are also plans to install a system that will collect, filter and store runoff water from the rooftops.

Although his wife wouldn’t mind putting this project to rest, Jeff Zariczny said he’s content to make changes as he goes.

“I look at architecture as not being static,” he said. “It changes and evolves.”

Jeff Zariczny, who comes from a family of builders, said he and his wife have done most of the work, from installing an advanced in-the-floor heating system to making and installing custom cherry trim in their dining room.

“I’m a believer that architects should build and get their hands dirty,” he said. “The word architect means master builder when you look it up. Most architects don’t practice that way anymore.”

Inscale’s enthusiasm
Inscale, which was recognized earlier this summer with an award from the Gannon University Small Business Development Center, tries to set itself apart in other ways as well.

Often, said Donna Zariczny, that just means sharing their enthusiasm with clients.

“We have already had clients who have come up, we pull out the books and start talking about different ideas,” she said. “All of a sudden we are leaving the conference room and going to the house to look at the concrete floors or talk about the windows.”

Despite their strong interest in residential architecture, the majority of Inscale’s work is commercial. The need for an architect can be a tough sell in a region known for its thrift and where builders often have a book of plans to choose from.

“They tend not to see the value of what we have to offer,” Donna Zariczny, 42, said.

The Zaricznys see themselves as generalists, willing to take on any job. But they’re also eager to share their knowledge of green building techniques that focus on energy efficiency, sustainability and avoiding the problems of so-called sick buildings sometimes associated with highly insulated homes.

“Most of our clients want to be more environmentally friendly,” Donna Zariczny said. But most of them want to see a return on their investment. In other words, being green has to make sense financially.

Jeff Zariczny said he’s not discouraged by that reality.

“I would love to be able to push those ideas, but that is not a realistic point of view,” he said. “I think there is a middle ground that is not being explored well.”

For Inscale, that means taking on traditional design jobs and then introducing new techniques or technologies. That can mean using cedar shakes on the exterior or finding new ways to avoid air infiltration.

“We can layer in better technology in very conventional construction techniques,” he said.

The firm, which does business in an area that ranges from Franklin to Rochester, is doing well and living up to its owners expectations. The Gannon SBDC reports that their revenues doubled in 2007.

They’re hopeful, however, that a renewed national focus on energy efficiency and sustainability will be good for both the environment and their business.

“I think it’s going to get better,” Jeff Zariczny said. “We are going to be able to do more things.”