Architect Bill Dunster is renowned as a pioneer of sustainability. He founded ZEDfactory, a practice dedicated to zero-carbon development, in 1999. Its eco-friendly housing development BedZED in Sutton won a RIBA sustainability award in 2003 and was nominated for the Stirling prize. In 2010 he received an OBE for services to sustainable housing design. 

Building’s Will Ing caught up with Dunster to chat about the ideas in his new book, Zed Life: How to Build a Low-Carbon Society Today.

What’s the book about?

It suggests that there is a workable plan to deliver a higher quality of life for most people, and that cumulative improvements in performance, energy efficiency and economies of scale in renewable energy production have now created a turning point where we can all make a big difference to the future of the construction industry. The book identifies the tools that could deliver this step change. It doesn’t require legislation or government intervention – just a will for each of us to become part of the solution rather than contribute to the problems embodied in much of current industry practice. 

About five years ago we stopped talking about climate change and started talking about building houses with zero-energy bills. The zero-bills home is probably the most important concept we’ve got to give.

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