Welcome to Season 5 of The Broke Architect Podcast , where we challenge convention and ask uncomfortable questions about how we design, build, and power the world around us.

In this episode, Jason Boyle is joined by Dr Tim Gregory, nuclear chemist and author of Going Nuclear, for a clear-eyed conversation about energy, climate change, and the realities behind Net Zero.

We’ve electrified buildings, debated gas bans, and filled landscapes with wind turbines, yet the UK hasn’t built a new nuclear reactor in over 30 years. So where is our electricity actually coming from, and is our current strategy sustainable?

• Why nuclear power fell out of favour in the UK

• Whether Net Zero is achievable without nuclear

• The limits of wind, solar, and energy storage

• The future role of gas in a low-carbon system

• Why symbolism often replaces systems thinking in sustainability

This is a grown-up conversation about energy — not ideology.

Links to Tim’s book Going Nuclear : https://www.tim-gregory.co.uk/goingnuclear

This is the FINAL show of season 4!

Today on the show, we’re joined by Helen Maunder's who was on Episode 1 of season 4. Helen had hit rock bottom 12 months ago but she is a fighter and I asked her to return to complete season 4 as she has been on a journey in the past 12 months. Please listen to understand her struggles and successes in this RAW and emotional episode.

Helen Maunders is the founder of Grafeso⁠, an architects' practice based in Barnet, London. Helen has been in business as a sole practice owner for 14 years and has ADHD. She is a cancer survivor and has struggled with her mental health and yet, she is still fighting. This episode is emotionally charged and Helen is very open and honest about what it is like to be an architect. We cover planning and frustrations and how to stop doing doing work for FREE!

This episode is brought to you by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Hahn Plastics⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, makers of Hanit, the innovative material reshaping the future of construction and design.

Manufactured from 100% recycled consumer plastic waste and with unmatched durability, Hanit is the sustainable solution for tomorrow's projects.

Want to discover how Hanit can transform your designs while reducing environmental impact? Book a CPD presentation today and let’s shape a greener future together at info@hahnplastics.co.uk.

Today on the show, we’re joined by someone who’s been breaking boundaries since he was a teenager. At just 16, he was named the UK Young Innovator of the Year and he hasn’t slowed down since.

Peter Markos is the founder of Markos Design Workshop, a RIBA Chartered Architecture Practice known for turning eco-conscious homes and luxury holiday lets into high-performing assets. His team blends architectural ambition with real-world financial returns, whether that’s bespoke rental cabins, planning-led uplift, or full architectural delivery.

But Peter isn’t just a designer. He’s a developer, too. He runs a thriving serviced-accommodation business built around high-yield, design-led holiday homes. That dual perspective means every project is grounded, commercially sharp, and investor-ready. As Peter likes to say: “We design what we ourselves invest in.”

Before turning 30, he’s already worked on standout projects, secured two Innovate UK grants, earned $100,000 of Airbnb backing to develop a flagship holiday unit, and raised angel investment to scale his property portfolio.

And here’s something you don’t hear every day, since the age of 13, he’s consistently outperformed the global stock market. Managing money, his own and his clients’, is simply part of his DNA.

Peter believes architecture should do more than look good. It should perform, financially, socially, and environmentally. And he’s only just getting started.

This episode is brought to you by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Hahn Plastics⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, makers of Hanit – the innovative material reshaping the future of construction and design.

Manufactured from 100% recycled consumer plastic waste and with unmatched durability, Hanit is the sustainable solution for tomorrow's projects.

Want to discover how Hanit can transform your designs while reducing environmental impact? Book a CPD presentation today and let’s shape a greener future together at info@hahnplastics.co.uk.