EP #74 - Architectural Innovation Meets Environmental Responsibility

Meet Nicholas Paolucci, founder of Mass Architect, a forward-thinking firm revolutionizing residential design in Massachusetts with speed, affordability, and sustainability at its core. From his education at Auburn University to launching his own firm in 2016, Nicholas has carved out a unique space in the industry as a solo practitioner focused on efficient, personalized service. Specializing in home additions, renovations, and new construction, Mass Architect brings a level of care and agility often missing from larger firms. Nicholas shares how launching his business during a deeply personal time—proposing to his wife and facing his father's illness—helped shape the resilience and purpose behind his entrepreneurial journey.

Nicholas also sets Mass Architect apart through a deep commitment to sustainability. As a LEED Accredited Professional working toward Passive House certification, he champions energy-efficient designs that align with evolving codes and environmental needs. With an emphasis on tight building envelopes, superior insulation, and renewable energy systems, his work goes beyond aesthetics to create homes that are both beautiful and responsible. Whether you're dreaming of a renovation or simply inspired by sustainable innovation, Nicholas offers a compelling look at how thoughtful design can build a better future—one home at a time.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
This is the Good Neighbor Podcast, the place
where local businesses andneighbors come together.
Here's your host, YvonneGodfrey.

Speaker 2 (00:12):
Welcome to the Good Neighbor Podcast.
Today, I have the distinctpleasure of introducing Nicholas
Paolucci.
He is the owner and founder ofMass Architect.
Nick, how are you doing today?

Speaker 3 (00:26):
I'm great.
How are you?

Speaker 2 (00:28):
I am fantastic enjoying this beautiful day,
this beautiful weather.
So, nick, can you tell ourlisteners about your company
please?

Speaker 3 (00:37):
Sure, thank you for having me on.
Mass Architect is a smallarchitectural firm.
Mass Architect is a smallarchitectural firm.
I'm the owner and the operator.
We provide design andconstruction drawings for single
family residential additions,renovations and new homes, and I
started the business in 2016 inRevere and ended up moving to

(01:01):
Milton about five years ago andkind of grown each year, and we
still serve the North Shore andall over Massachusetts.

Speaker 2 (01:11):
Beautiful.
And what's the backstory?
How did you get into thisbusiness, Nick?

Speaker 3 (01:16):
Well, I went down to Auburn University for school.
They had a good architecturecollege down there at the time.
They had a good architecturecollege down there at the time
and I loved it there.
But came back home and decidedto work in the Boston area at a
couple smaller firms and once Ikind of passed my exams and got

(01:37):
licensed on my own, I startedMass Architect and it's been
about nine years so it's runningsmooth and strong.

Speaker 2 (01:46):
Wonderful beautiful.

Speaker 3 (01:55):
So what are some myths or misconceptions that
you've discovered in yourindustry, nick?
I think architects andengineers in general get kind of
a bad rep for being slow andoverpriced, and I just kind of
try to be the opposite of thatand produce drawings quickly and
on time under budget.
It's just me, so I cantypically do things quicker and

(02:19):
less expensive with lessoverhead.
And, yeah, I just try to bedifferent than the bigger firms
around there.

Speaker 2 (02:27):
Okay, thanks.
Thanks for sharing that.
So outside of work, what do youdo for fun, nick?

Speaker 3 (02:37):
Outside of work.
I have a three-year-old and nowa six-month-old, so I like to
spend time with them whenever Ican, and I'm actually the chef
in our house, so I try to comeup with new concoctions and see
what they'll eat.
And, yeah, I've started to likeit more and more.

(02:58):
And yeah, I've started to likeit more and more.
But I mean before kids we likedto travel and go to the beach
and ski, and after kids it's alittle less of that but so fun.

Speaker 2 (03:13):
Those are adorable ages as well.
Yeah, yeah, they're cute, sochanging gears.
Nick, can you describe onehardship?

Speaker 3 (03:32):
or one of life's challenge that you rose above
and can now say because of ityou're stronger, you're better,
what comes to your mind?
Starting out my business, itwas the same time I was
proposing to my wife andquitting my job and I spent
about half my bank account onthe ring and no income coming in
besides a couple of smallprojects that I just started.

(03:54):
And my father at the same had aheart attack and just a lot of
stress all at once and my wifekind of carried me through it
and the business kind of tookoff from there surprisingly, but
my dad ended up coming throughand everything's all good at the

(04:17):
end of it.

Speaker 2 (04:19):
Beautiful, beautiful.
That could be a stressful timein anyone's life with any parent
.
So, nick, can you please tellour listeners one thing they
should remember about MassArchitect.

Speaker 3 (04:33):
One thing I try to come across as I'm a lead
accredited professional, sothat's the leadership in energy
and environmental design.
I'm also taking a course tobecome a passive house certified
designer and I'm sure most ofyour listeners don't know what
those things are, but I thinkit's the future of designing and

(04:55):
building homes and with the newmass energy codes and getting
rid of fossil fuels and beingmore environmentally friendly.
That's kind of what I'm tryingto push the business toward in
the future.

Speaker 2 (05:08):
Beautiful, beautiful.
Can you be a little bit moredescriptive?

Speaker 3 (05:14):
Yeah, so I mean it mostly revolves around making
these houses tighter, thebuilding envelopes, with better
insulation, windows, mechanicalsystems and using more renewable
energy, so we're notcontributing to global warming
and all the harsh effects ofpolluting the air and kind of

(05:38):
trying to keep the world ahealthy place to live in.

Speaker 2 (05:43):
Okay, thank you for that.
So how can our listeners learnmore about Mass Architect Nick?
Do you have a website?

Speaker 3 (05:50):
Yeah, so I just actually redid the website and
it's looking a lot moreprofessional than it did, so I
encourage people to go look atthat.
Take a look at my projects, myportfolio and a lot of new
online reviews to check out aswell.

Speaker 2 (06:07):
Beautiful.
So, nick, we really appreciateyou being on the show with us
today.
We wish you and your businessall the very best moving forward
.

Speaker 3 (06:18):
Thank you so much.
I appreciate you having me allthe very best moving forward.
Thank you so much I appreciateyou having me.

Speaker 1 (06:21):
Thank you for listening to the Good Neighbor
Podcast.
To nominate your favorite localbusinesses to be featured on
the show, go to gnpnorthshorecom.
That's gnpnorthshorecom, orcall 857-703-9406.