SBNZ-funded projects accelerate Scotland’s transition to net zero

Kate Symons - 03/11/26

From influencing policy and attracting media attention to creating industry-ready solutions and new digital tools, Scotland Beyond Net Zero-funded projects that concluded in the autumn of 2026 delivered tangible impacts and are not stopping there.

In the second round of funding, SBNZ supported 11 research collaborations aimed at accelerating Scotland’s transition to net zero. Each project involved at least two member universities and one external partner, including community groups, government bodies, and the private sector, collaborating to address sustainability challenges in energy, finance, food, the built environment, natural systems, and transport.

Among the projects featured:

• Beyond Net Zero Built, led by researchers from the University of Strathclyde and working with partners across the built environment sector, developed innovative building performance demonstrators that went on to feature on Channel 4’s Guy Martin’s Home Without Bills, with associated online content attracting more than 213,000 views.
• HI-SCOT (Heritage Meets Innovation) brought together researchers, heritage specialists and industry partners to explore how solar technologies can be integrated into historic buildings. The project’s findings contributed to discussions at the Scottish Parliament on Scotland’s climate future.
• TRACE, involving researchers and circular-economy partners, created a working digital marketplace for reused construction materials, helping tackle waste and support a more circular construction sector.
• MycoPack brought together academic researchers with packaging and biomaterials partners to develop a sustainable packaging prototype made from whisky industry by-products, demonstrating the commercial potential of circular manufacturing.
• GEO-ML brought together collaborators from Scotland, Norway and Türkiye to apply machine learning to offshore wind development, creating new international partnerships and laying the foundations for larger-scale research programmes.

Professor Nicholas Forsyth, Provost at the University of Aberdeen and the Chair of the SBNZ Seed Fund Panel, 2024-2026 said: “These initiatives demonstrate the strength of partnerships across academic institutions. By pooling expertise and resources, Scottish universities are not only advancing research and innovation, but also fostering an environment where research is co-created with Scottish communities, businesses and governments. This collective approach is vital in tackling the complex challenges of climate change, ensuring that the approaches we develop are both effective and inclusive. By working together, we are paving the way for a sustainable future, where collaboration underpins high-impact research and innovation.”

To find out about these and other projects funded by SBNZ in 2025/26 and their impact, read the full report to learn more about the projects, partners and outcomes helping shape Scotland’s journey beyond net zero: https://scotland-beyond-net-zero.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/Scotland-Beyond-Net-Zero-Seed-Fund-2025-Report-1.pdf