About Jen
The environmental impact from both raw material acquisition and the processes involved in making final products has lasting repercussions for everything on our planet. Plastic dominates our waste materials, so much so that as a result we have accumulated a Pacific island trash patch approximately the size of the continental United States. A myriad of products can be made for the building industry from recycling this floating debris. Photo-voltaic cells created from this material and retrofitted to structures in the form of solar collector/reflectors,accompanied with an economic incentive given to those invent or employ their use may provoke a new green technology boon. Roof tiles made of 80% rubber and plastic, insulate keeping solar heat out, while similar items (siding, shakes and decking products) can be used to complete an exterior. Water bottles filled with mud have been used as in-fill for wall construction, these plastic bricks offer structural support in both earthquake and flood zones. Mining this Pacific floating mass resource for reuse, may offer benefits in re-setting the Earth’s atmospheric and Oceanic temperatures, as the enormity of this island patch has certainly disrupted heat absorption levels and circulation paths for both.
Featured articles and news
The future workforce: culture change and skill
Under the spotlight at UK Construction Week London.
A landmark moment for postmodern heritage.
A safe energy transition – ECA launches a new Charter
Practical policy actions to speed up low carbon adoption while maintaining installation safety and competency.
Frank Duffy: Researcher and Practitioner
Reflections on achievements and relevance to the wider research and practice communities.
The 2026 Compliance Landscape: Fire doors
Why 'Business as Usual' is a Liability.
Cutting construction carbon footprint by caring for soil
Is construction neglecting one of the planet’s most powerful carbon stores and one of our greatest natural climate allies.
ARCHITECTURE: How's it progressing?
Archiblogger posing questions of a historical and contextual nature.
The roofscape of Hampstead Garden Suburb
Residents, architects and roofers need to understand detailing.
Homes, landlords. tenants and the new housing standards
What will it all mean?
The Architectural Technology podcast: Where it's AT
Catch-up on the latest episodes.
Edmundson Apprentice of the Year award 2026
Entries now open for this Electrical Contractors' Association award.
Traditional blue-grey slate from one of the oldest and largest UK slate quarries down in Cornwall.
There are plenty of sources with the potential to be redeveloped.
Change of use legislation breaths new life into buildings
A run down on Class MA of the General Permitted Development Order.
Solar generation in the historic environment
Success requires understanding each site in detail.




















