Bill Watts

Bill heads our Decarbonisation team and is highly experienced at designing heat pump systems for all types of buildings, especially those which are the most ambitious. He takes an innovative approach to design, challenging conventional approaches and always looking for new ways to make the built environment more sustainable and more comfortable. He has extensive experience of designing low-energy solutions for buildings, including solar-thermal and wind, and utilises passive systems wherever possible. 

Bill has been at Max Fordham since 1980, initially training under Max, carrying out research on natural ventilation in swimming pools and schools, and blue-sky thinking on bringing biological systems into the built environment. His search for innovations has taken him to some interesting places, including the Sahara Forest Project, which created agriculture and re-vegetation in desert areas of the Middle East. 

In 2022, Bill analysed his gas use in his own home and installed a heat pump, which reduced emissions four-fold overall. He now has a fully electric house and car.