Rachel MacIntyre

Rachel MacIntyre is the Strategic Sustainability Advisor at Te Kāhui Whaihanga New Zealand Institute of Architects.

Rachel’s career spans architectural practice and public sector roles in Copenhagen, London, New York, and Aotearoa, as well as lecturing at AUT’s School of Future Environments.

In her current role, she supports architects by equipping them with the skills and knowledge needed to design with minimal environmental impact, focusing on low-carbon and circular design principles. She ensures practitioners have access to the tools and resources required to drive positive change. Alongside this, she actively advocates for sustainable and regenerative practices across the architectural profession and the wider built environment industry.

Rachel is passionate about being a kaitiaki of the built environment and is committed to embedding the principles of kaitiakitanga into architectural practice and the broader community of built environment professionals - showcasing the vital role architects play in decarbonising the industry and addressing the urgent challenges of climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution.

Rachel will be speaking at the Better Building Banter session during the Better Building Day at Wao Summit 2025.