Activism and Action at _shift 2025

_shift returned to Newcastle University's Henry Daysh Building with a full house and a familiar sense of purpose. Our fourth annual conference gathered architects, policymakers, manufacturers, clients, researchers, and partners around the same intent. Decarbonisation needs collective determination. _shift 2025 strengthened that resolve with a programme that carried well beyond the day.

This year carried particular weight for SPACE Architects as our Head of Research, Catherine Sinclair, introduced D-CARB, our new open-access tool for early whole-life carbon insight. The launch set a clear tone for the day. Knowledge is most powerful when it is shared. Climate action accelerates when the barriers fall.

Rob Charlton opened the conference by grounding the room in the scale of the task ahead, then handed it to our event chair, Chris Hines, whose honesty and clarity have guided _shift since its first year.

This year, Chris opened the programme with a talk that drew on his decades of campaigning experience. His perspective set the tone for the day, framing early conversations around policy. Every voice that followed carried that momentum into new ground.

Climate Activist Clover Hogan called for resilience in the face of uncertainty. Net Zero Expert Gareth Kane challenged the limits of centralised policy. Jillian Hardie, Director at ARUP, reframed the opportunity of retrofit. Andy Pag proved that optimism can move a person halfway around the world. Barbara Jones reminded us that nature has offered reliable solutions for generations. The audience met each speaker with thoughtful questions and a willingness to engage.

The launch of D-CARB sat at the centre of the programme. Presented by Catherine Sinclair, the tool provides a practical way to understand carbon outcomes when decisions are still fluid. Developed through a Knowledge Transfer Partnership with Northumbria University and Innovate UK, it represents years of careful research. D-CARB is open to all and enables design teams and their clients to gain a shared understanding of whole-life carbon at the earliest stages of design. Carbon literacy grows when knowledge is accessible. D-CARB exists to make that possible.

Throughout the day, conversations drifted across tables and over coffee. People swapped ideas and formed new partnerships. Many remarked that _shift makes room for optimism while recognising the complexity of the work ahead. That balance is deliberate.

Rob closed the event with thanks to every contributor and attendee. His message was simple. Climate action is accelerated when people choose to work together. The responses that followed in the hours and days after reflected that collective drive. Notes of encouragement arrived from clients, collaborators, and first-time attendees, with several commenting on how the day feels stronger with each passing year.

For SPACE Architects, _shift is part of our commitment to accelerating the decarbonisation of the built environment. D-CARB takes that commitment into the earliest stage of a project. If there was a theme running quietly under every conversation this year, it is that determination grows when shared.

The full _shift 2025 collection is now live. Talks, panels, interviews, and behind-the-scenes moments are available to watch in your own time. We hope they spark the same energy you felt in the room.

The full _shift 2025 collection is now live. Recordings of the talks and panel discussions sit alongside behind-the-scenes interviews and a series of conversations hosted by SPACE Architects’ Jade Atkins for her podcast, Archipod. Footage from the past four years of _shift can also be found in the archive. We hope revisiting these moments continues to inspire.