Ecosystems Technologies is the UK’s first manufacturer of homegrown Cross-Laminated, Glued Laminated and Nail Laminated Timber buildings.

Ecosystems first commercial project was contracted in April 2021, delivering their first mass timber building for Fettes College four months later. Since then the business has grown from strength to strength with clients including UK Government Department for Education; Scottish Power; Rosshire Engineering; Edinburgh Airport; Gordonstoun School; Hampshire County Council and Social Bite.

Partnering with BE-ST, Ecosystems delivers its primary manufacture of mass timber components in Blantyre, using the UKs only CLT vacuum press. Manufacture of their volumetric and panelised systems then takes place at their factory in Invergordon before delivery on site. Critically factory led quality control processes allow the buildings to leave the factory on average 90% complete including all servicing and fit out.

Ecosystems Technologies was awarded the Accelerate to Zero Hero Award at BE-ST’s Accelerate to Zero Awards 2024. The winner was decided by both a judging panel and a public vote.

A value-led vision

Ecosystems Technologies was established with a clear mission: to accelerate the adoption of carbon negative building practices by leveraging biogenic off-site manufacturing and holistic systems thinking.

The founder, Matt Stevenson, is a recognised leader in digital manufacturing technology and low carbon building designs. He began his entrepreneurial journey 15 years ago when he founded Carbon Dynamic, a company which also specialised in modular offsite building solutions. Under Matt’s leadership, Ecosystems drives a culture of innovation into practice, to change how construction materials and systems are designed, manufactured, and utilised.

Collaboration and innovation

A key driver of Ecosystems Technologies' success has been its ability to forge meaningful collaborations with academia, innovation centres, and industry stakeholders.

Matt says, “A lot of the work that we've been doing in collaboration with BE-ST and with Edinburgh Napier University and the University of Edinburgh has really set us up to grow the business quickly to the point where we're ready for scaled investment.’ Central to Matt’s approach is the concept of creating a "flywheel effect," where collaboration and innovation drive continuous improvement and commercial impact.

By being part of collaborations with like-minded partners such as on the landmark Transforming Timber project, the company has accelerated their impact, market reach and the adoption of homegrown solutions, while also scaling up their organisation.

Ecosystems’ latest projects

Ecosystems do more than building manufacture – their work is creating real social and environmental value. In addition to the recently announced Social Bite Villages, the team has developed innovative, sustainable solutions across multiple sectors, showcasing their benefit to society at large. In collaboration with RSE, they introduced water dosing kiosks for Scottish Water, featuring timber sourced from Scottish Water's Carbon Offset Forestry. Additionally, they have been partnering with SFRS, SFT, and Hub North to develop a versatile, efficient kit-of-parts system for rural fire stations across Scotland. For Hampshire County Council, Ecosystems collaborated with the Council to design, manufacture and install an innovative SCOLA Schools Retrofit pilot, a bio-based, homegrown mass timber alternative to conventional onsite façade replacement panels.

Just Transition

Based in the Highlands, Matt believes that Ecosystems are uniquely positioned to support rural Scottish communities affected by de-industrialisation, offering an alternative job market outside of the oil and gas sector.

Through partnerships with the children’s charity Barnardo's and through the local Job Centre in Invergordon, the business has a clear vision to address the construction industry's skills challenge by giving opportunities to young and new market entrants. Growing their own talent has been key to their success to date, with a strong team of skilled and semi skilled labour and a local supply chain who are growing alongside the business.

Viable – not radical

Winning the Accelerate to Zero Hero Award underscores and validates Matt Stevenson’s contributions to a net negative carbon built environment.

Mass timber solutions are yet to be adopted at scale, but Matt is living proof that mass timber solutions and Ecosystems truly collaborative approach create the right conditions for the business to thrive. “This approach does not have to be radical - it is viable, vibrant and scalable and necessitates wider adoption,” Matt says. “Together with these key aligned stakeholders we are ideally placed to relentlessly keep pushing the boundaries, whilst being tireless in demonstrating that to the market.”