Architect, Passivhaus Designer, and Head of Research at SPACE Architects, Catherine Sinclair leads the practice’s pioneering work in whole-life carbon reduction. After recently winning the Constructing Excellence Future Leader award and being named a 2024 RIBA Rising Star, her research and leadership continue to gain national recognition. It is helping redefine how architects approach design in the context of the climate emergency, bridging academic rigour with practical application in the studio.

Her work positions her as part of a new generation of architects translating climate ambition into measurable action, with a particular focus on equipping others with the tools and confidence to act early, when design influence is greatest.

Over the past two years, Catherine has led an Innovate UK-funded Knowledge Transfer Partnership between SPACE Architects and Northumbria University, which has culminated in the creation of D-CARB; a tool designed to help architects and designers cut whole-life carbon from the earliest stages of a project. Released as an open-access resource, D-CARB reflects Catherine’s commitment to collective progress across the built environment, prioritising shared learning over proprietary advantage. The tool integrates embodied and operational carbon data to provide a complete picture of a building’s environmental impact, giving design teams the insight needed to make informed, low-carbon decisions from the very beginning.

Catherine’s work sits at the intersection of research and practice. Her role ensures that innovation and sustainability are embedded within every stage of SPACE’s design process. Catherine is a clear and engaging speaker, known for making complex carbon concepts more accessible. From contributing to international research conferences such as EC3 in Crete to delivering lectures at and leading discussions at industry events across the UK.