Catherine Sinclair
KTP Associate / Architect specialising in Zero Carbon
As a qualified architect, Catherine Sinclair holds both a BA (Hons) and an MArch in Architecture from Northumbria University. During her master's degree, Catherine focused on the adaptive reuse of a historic derelict building in Newcastle, with the aim of promoting community development and a circular economy.
The final panel of _shift 2023 was chaired by Chris Hines and featured two young founders of analytics-driven companies, and Catherine Sinclair, a Northumbria University KTP Associate and Specialist Net Zero Architect of SPACE Architects. Find the panel discussion below alongside Catherine's interview answers:
"We need to make sure that technological advancements are available to all. We must ensure there is the necessary training available for accessible software so that it can be implemented and adopted company-wide"
Catherine's current work involves publishing a paper on the incorporation of post-consumer Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) mesh into concrete bricks, which enhances their tensile strength. Through her research, Catherine discovered that incorporating post-consumer PET is an efficient method to minimize the environmental impact of concrete, while also providing a new purpose for plastic waste. She is currently participating in a Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) between Space Architects and Northumbria University. The objective of the KTP is to create the Space Digital Carbon Model, which will integrate embodied and operational carbon in a single analysis approach. The project aims to gather low-carbon design data and information, creating digital tools that facilitate the consideration and implementation of carbon reduction at the initial stage of design. The completion of the KTP will provide a verified framework for the development of Space Architects' net-zero buildings through the Space Digital Carbon Model. Catherine's work on carbon research is a unique area of specialism in architectural practice, which she hopes to embed into all projects as part of the design process.