Kiss & Cathcart Architects

What Kiss & Cathcart Architects does

Kiss + Cathcart, Architects is a Brooklyn-headquartered architecture firm founded in 1984 by Gregory Kiss and Colin Cathcart that specializes in "productive" sustainable architecture — buildings engineered to produce more renewable energy than they consume while integrating energy generation, daylighting, rainwater collection, habitat, and food production into multifunctional building skins. The firm's foundational technical capability is pioneering building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) dating to the 1980s; its very first project was the 1984 Port Jervis thin-film PV factory, among the world's first BIPV applications. The firm's technology stack centers on integrated systems design — building envelopes engineered as biological-skin analogs that harvest energy, collect water, and host living systems — rather than software or platform technology, and it publishes a quantitative Energy Balance Analysis comparing each project's consumption and generation to ASHRAE 90.1 and NREL benchmarks.

The firm earns revenue through traditional professional services: architectural design fees for schematic design, design development, construction documents, and construction administration, typically structured as a percentage of construction cost on a per-project basis. Distribution is sales-led via direct client engagement with civic/institutional buyers (NYC Parks, MTA/NYC Transit, NYC Public Schools), winning design competitions (New Museum, HEW Hamburg, Abu Dhabi Eco Park), and professional referrals. Projects are delivered primarily in the New York metropolitan area with selective international work in Germany, the Netherlands, the UAE, China, and Panama, and the firm maintains research collaborations with NREL, NASA, Princeton, Rutgers, Columbia, and the University of Florida.

Notable delivered projects include the Stillwell Avenue solar-powered subway terminal, Solar 2 (Holcim Gold Award 2008), Bushwick Inlet Park (34% energy savings vs. ASHRAE 90.1-2004 with a 70 kW PV canopy), Bronx River House, the 22 Caton Place LEED-Gold multifamily, the Ijsselstein solar-electric rowhouses, and the 2020 Tower self-sustaining high-rise concept developed with Arup for the National Building Museum's "Big + Green" exhibition. The firm is privately held, has 1–10 employees, and the only disclosed non-fee capital on record is two NYSERDA grants totaling approximately $281,820 in 1997.

Name

Kiss & Cathcart Architects

Legal name

Kiss + Cathcart, Architects

Website

https://kisscathcart.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Brooklyn-based architecture firm founded in 1984 that designs productive, sustainable buildings integrating building-integrated photovoltaics, multifunctional skins, and on-site food/landscape systems for civic, institutional, residential, and international clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sustainable Architecture Services

NAICS

Architectural Services (541310), Interior Design Services (541410)

SIC

Services-Engineering Services (8711)

akta.pro primary industry

Architectural Design Services (BPAHAKAA)

Keywords

• Sustainable architecture services
• Building-integrated photovoltaics
• Productive building design
• Integrated systems design
• Green building consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Brooklyn

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Architectural Design Services: Traditional architecture firm revenue from designing buildings - includes schematic design, design development, construction documents, and construction administration. Projects span residential, commercial, industrial, civic/institutional, and planning categories.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Kiss & Cathcart Architects is a sustainable architecture firm that designs buildings with integrated energy, water, landscape, and food-production systems. Core work spans schematic design, design development, construction documents, and construction administration for civic, residential, commercial, industrial, and planning projects, with a specialization in building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) and "productive architecture" that targets net-positive energy outcomes. The firm sells professional design services directly to government agencies, institutions, nonprofits, and private developers.

Product overview

Kiss + Cathcart Architects is a Brooklyn-based sustainable architecture firm offering integrated design services rather than a software product. Their core offerings include building-integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) design services, vertical farming research collaborations, integrated systems design combining energy/water/agriculture, and the Zero Waste Design Guidelines. Projects span civic/institutional, residential, commercial, and industrial categories. The firm's design philosophy centers on 'Productive Architecture' — buildings that produce more renewable energy than they consume, integrate living systems, and achieve positive environmental impact beyond LEED certification.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Building-Integrated Photovoltaic (BIPV) Design Services Architectural design services specializing in multifunctional building skins that serve as both cladding and power generators, integrating solar technology into building facades, roofs, and structural elements. Targeted at government, institutional, commercial, and private developer clients seeking sustainable buildings with on-site renewable energy generation.
• Integrated Systems Architectural Design Multifunctional building design service combining energy generation, daylighting, sun control, thermal harvesting, rainwater collection, living habitat, and food production into integrated building surfaces. For institutional, residential, commercial, and industrial clients pursuing high-performance sustainable architecture.
• Productive Architecture Design Services Sustainable building design service targeting net-positive environmental impact, with buildings that produce more renewable energy than they consume and contribute ecological and economic productivity beyond LEED benchmarks. For clients seeking buildings that benefit rather than merely reduce harm to the environment.
• Civic & Institutional Building Design Full architectural services for public parks, environmental education centers, transit facilities, civic buildings, museums, and schools. Clients include NYC Parks, MTA/New York City Transit, NYC Public Schools, and the New Museum of Contemporary Art.
• Residential Sustainable Architecture Architectural design services for residential buildings, affordable housing, supportive housing, and rowhouses with integrated sustainable systems. Notable projects include 22 Caton Place (73 units, LEED-Gold) and The Lee supportive housing.
• Commercial Architecture Design Sustainable architectural design services for office towers, hotels, and commercial facilities for commercial developers and corporate clients seeking sustainability leadership and reduced operating costs.
• Industrial Facility Architecture Sustainable design services for manufacturing facilities and renewable-energy production plants, addressing high energy consumption and environmental impact. Includes the Port Jervis thin-film PV factory project (1984).
• Urban Planning and Master Planning Urban planning studies, master plans, and waterfront development projects integrating sustainable infrastructure into urban development patterns. Notable work includes the Abu Dhabi Eco Park master plan (640,000+ square meters) and the BQE Enhancement Study.
• 2020 Tower Self-Sustaining High-Rise Design Hypothetical self-sustaining high-rise building concept designed to meet 100% of energy needs via solar and wind power. Developed for the National Building Museum's Big + Green exhibition as a research and exhibition project, not a built commission.

Quantifiable outcome

• Buildings designed to produce more renewable energy than they consume
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Han van Zwieten (architects and planners)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on Ijsselstein Rowhouses project in Netherlands - new town development of moderate-cost, solar-electric generating housing. K+C provided expertise in combining design and solar technology.
• Arup EngineerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on 2020 Tower project for National Building Museum's 'Big + Green' exhibition. Arup provided engineering expertise for the self-sustaining infrastructure design. Also collaborated on Rutgers University research grant from National Science Foundation.
• Andropogon AssociatesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLandscape architecture collaboration for Abu Dhabi Eco Park project, specifically for mangrove area planning within overall master planning.
• Kling StubbinsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerArchitecture/engineering firm collaboration for Abu Dhabi Eco Park master planning.
• Starr Whitehouse (Landscape Architects)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-term collaboration on multiple NYC projects including Bushwick Inlet Park and BQE Enhancement Study. Joint award winners for various sustainable design recognitions.
• NASAminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-authored research with NASA scientists on wheat yield potential in controlled-environment vertical farms, published in PNAS.
• Princeton UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch collaboration on vertical farming study published in PNAS, involving faculty from civil and environmental engineering.
• University of FloridaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch collaboration on controlled-environment vertical farming study published in PNAS.
• Columbia UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic collaboration on vertical farming research published in PNAS.
• NREL (National Renewable Energy Laboratory)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMultiple publications and sourcebook development for architects on building-integrated photovoltaics, including Building-Integrated PV product development studies.
• New York Sun WorkscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on PS 333 rooftop greenhouse project - developed hydroponic greenhouse facility for NYC public school. K+C provided architecture.
• National Science FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNSF-funded research program 'Towards Self-Sustaining High-Rise Buildings' with Rutgers University, examining technical and social issues of self-sustaining infrastructure.
• Rutgers UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLead institution on NSF research grant for self-sustaining high-rise buildings, examining 2020 Tower as case study.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Studio Gang: Sustainability-focused architecture practice known for high-performance, ecologically integrated buildings. Comparable emphasis on connections with nature, integrated building performance, and award-winning sustainable design.
• Snøhetta: Internationally recognized architecture practice pioneering sustainable, integrated design across building, landscape, and energy systems. Comparable philosophy of multifunctional building skins and integrated systems design.
• WXY architecture + urban design: NYC-based architecture and urban design firm focused on civic innovation and resilient infrastructure. Comparable as a small NYC practice working on civic and public-realm projects with sustainability orientation.
• Ennead Architects: New York architecture firm of similar scale and tenure, working on civic, institutional, and cultural projects with sustainability focus. Comparable as a boutique NYC practice serving public-sector and institutional clients.
• FXCollaborative: NYC-based architecture firm of comparable size and project scope, working across civic, residential, and commercial sectors with sustainability focus. Most directly comparable as a peer-sized NYC practice.
• COOKFOX Architects: NYC-based architecture firm specializing in sustainable, high-performance building design with biophilic and net-zero expertise. Most directly comparable as a small-to-mid NYC practice focused on integrated sustainability and BIPV-adjacent technologies.

Emerging players

• BIG (Bjarke Ingels Group): High-profile international architecture firm with growing sustainable design portfolio and integrated systems philosophy. Comparable in brand-driven, concept-led approach to sustainable architecture.

Broad incumbents

• Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM): One of the world's largest architecture and engineering firms with extensive sustainable design practice and BIPV expertise on major towers. Serves as the scaled incumbent against which Kiss + Cathcart's specialized expertise must compete.
• Kohn Pedersen Fox (KPF): Global architecture firm with strong sustainability practice and expertise in high-performance commercial and civic buildings. Comparable in sustainability leadership but at vastly larger scale.
• Perkins&Will: Large international architecture firm with deep sustainability practice and expertise in institutional and civic projects. Comparable commitment to high-performance, LEED-targeted design at a much larger scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/kcarchitects
• Facebookfacebook.com/KissCathcart

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Kiss & Cathcart Architects