A dram good idea – turning whisky waste into sustainable packaging

Dr. Wenbin Zhou, Lecturer in Mechanical & Industrial Engineering at the University of Dundee, said: “At the University of Dundee, we’re excited to lead the design and use of additive manufacturing to shape whisky by-products into compostable, locally rooted, and elegant sustainable packaging. We aim to show how sustainable design and advanced manufacturing can support Scotland’s journey to net zero by turning waste into low-carbon value—bringing circular economy principles to life through innovation and collaboration.”

Dr. Dongyang Sun, Lecturer in Engineering at Edinburgh Napier University said: “At Edinburgh Napier, we’re proud to pioneer sustainable biomaterials from underused resources. MycoPack lets us showcase how fungal composites and circular design can transform whisky by-products into protective packaging that’s beautiful, compostable, and low-carbon, delivering both environmental benefit and industry value for Scotland’s net zero transition” 

About Arbikie Distillery 

Arbikie Distillery, located on the east coast of Angus, Scotland, is a pioneering, family-owned farm-to-bottle distillery renowned for its sustainable practices and innovative spirits. Founded in 2013 on the Stirling family’s 2,000-acre estate, Arbikie produces Scotch whisky, gin, and vodka using ingredients grown almost entirely on-site – barley, potatoes, and even peas. The distillery is celebrated for its environmental leadership, including the creation of the world’s first climate-positive gin and vodka, and its investment in hydrogen power. Signature products include Kirsty’s Gin, named after master distiller Kirsty Black, and Scotland’s first commercial rye whisky in over a century. 

Scotland Beyond Net Zero is a collaboration of leading climate and sustainability experts from across Scotland's universities. The collaborative network pools research, data and expertise to facilitate local action and impact global change for net zero. By working in synergy with external agencies and industry, SBNZ aims to maximise positive impact and go beyond net zero. 

Founded by the Universities of Edinburgh and Glasgow, Scotland Beyond Net Zero members are: University of Aberdeen · University of Dundee · University of Edinburgh · Edinburgh Napier University · University of Glasgow · Glasgow Caledonian University · Heriot-Watt University · University of the Highland and Islands · University of St Andrews · University of Stirling · University of Strathclyde · Robert Gordon University · University of the West of Scotland 

Further information about the eleven funded projects: 

• GEO-ML: Intelligent Offshore Site Characterisation by Integrating Geotechnical and Geophysical Data with Machine Learning to Accelerate Scotland’s Net Zero Transition
• Collaboration between: University of Dundee and University of Aberdeen
• External partners: Seaway and the British Geological Survey.

SBNZ theme: Energy 

Project summary: 

Scotland aims to reach Net Zero carbon emissions by 2045, with offshore wind playing a vital role in reaching this target. A major challenge in designing and installing offshore wind turbines is gathering detailed information of the seabed. This is currently achieved through accurate but expensive and time-consuming geotechnical investigations, supplemented by geophysical surveys which are faster but come with greater uncertainty. The costly and lengthy geotechnical investigations have been a major barrier to the wider deployment of floating offshore wind turbines. To address this, this project aims to develop an advanced machine learning approach that intelligently integrates both geotechnical and geophysical data. By combining the strengths of both types of surveys, the project will create a more efficient and cost-effective approach to assessing seabed conditions. This project has the potential to significantly reduce the need for costly geotechnical investigations, accelerating offshore wind deployment and supporting Scotland’s clean energy goals. 

• MycoPack: Mycelium Composites from Distillery By-products for Sustainable Packaging – Feasibility and Functional Assessment
• Collaboration between: University of Dundee and Edinburgh Napier University
• External partners: Arbikie Distillery
• SBNZ theme: Food; energy 

Project summary: 

MycoPack transforms waste into sustainable packaging. Partnering with Arbikie Distillery, Edinburgh Napier University, and the University of Dundee, the project turns whisky production leftovers into compostable packaging using mycelium, the root structure of fungi. Arbikie, focused on sustainability, already uses farm produce and compostable seals. They wondered if whisky waste could package it too. The answer is yes, with MycoPack. It uses mycelium and distillery by-products like spent grain to create durable, lightweight packaging. This material is impact-resistant, fire-retardant, and fully compostable, offering an eco-friendly alternative to plastic. Over 10 months, the project will refine feedstock preparation and mycelium growth for real bottle protection. Two research assistants will focus on material testing and mould design. MycoPack combines innovation with sustainable design, turning waste into valuable packaging and supporting a circular economy. This project lays the groundwork for future research and showcases sustainable design for Scotland’s products. From philosophical foundations to practical land-use decisions: A case study on carbon accounting in peatland restoration 

• Collaboration between: University of St Andrews and University of Edinburgh
• Lead contacts: Dr Derek Ball (St Andrews) and Prof. Matthew Brander (Edinburgh)
• External partners: Corrour Estate, Scottish Highlands; Caroline Touborg (independent researcher)
• SBNZ theme: Natural systems 

Project summary: 

Peatlands are vital ecosystems in Scotland and a key route to Scotland achieving net zero. When damaged, they release carbon, but restoring them can help absorb it. This project aims to create a framework to measure the climate impact of emissions, storage, and land use. The team will also explore how this connects to moral philosophy, suggesting society has a duty to preserve diverse landscapes, cultural traditions, and resources for future generations. If society cannot save everything, we should still try to minimise losses, leading to the project’s "Loss Minimization Framework" (LMF). The team will apply this framework to peatland restoration at Corrour Estate, aiming to improve our methods and learn about prioritising these efforts. The team will combine restorative and sustainable land management expertise from Corrour with expertise in greenhouse gas accounting, peatland ecology and ethical philosophy. 

• Digital product passport (DPP)-enabled circular supply chain for social housing in Scotland’s cities
• Collaboration between: Glasgow Caledonian University and University of Glasgow
• External partners: Wheatley Group (the largest social housing provider in Scotland)
• SBNZ theme: Built environment; energy 

Project summary: 

Urbanisation has led to increased greenhouse gas emissions, environmental damage, and waste. To address this, cities need sustainable approaches, including the circular model, focusing on reuse and recycling to reduce emissions. This offers environmental, social, and economic benefits but requires changes in building design. In the UK, construction is responsible for 60% of materials use and 62% of waste, contributing to 40% of the carbon footprint. Social housing in Scotland accounts for 23% of all housing. This research explores aligning the circular economy with the built environment, focusing on digital product passports (DPP) to create a smart circular supply chain. Partnering with the Wheatley Group, Scotland’s largest social housing provider, the project will use methods like literature reviews and interviews to explore opportunities in social housing. Beginning in Glasgow, the project aims to promote circular city models for other cities in Scotland, fostering inclusive and collaborative planning. 

• HI-SCOT: Heritage meets Innovation: Smart PV for Cities Overcoming Tomorrow's Climate
• Collaboration between: Edinburgh Napier University and Robert Gordon University
• External partners: Historic Environment Scotland
• SBNZ theme: Built environment 

Project summary: 

HI-SCOT will explore sustainable urban development by blending advanced technologies and cultural preservation to tackle climate issues. This project focuses on integrating photovoltaic (PV) technology into Scotland's historic buildings, addressing challenges with aesthetics, regulations, and public acceptance. Although Scotland is committed to sustainability, PV adoption in heritage buildings is limited by policy and visual concerns. The initiative will include a pilot installation or visual materials to show how PV systems can blend with historic architecture. The selected site will demonstrate best practices in aesthetic integration, using panels that match the building's character. Research will explore mimicking traditional materials and using coatings to minimise visual impact, creating guidelines for Scotland's architecture. The project will involve businesses, academics, local councils, and Historic Environment Scotland to overcome planning and policy barriers. The goal is to support energy upgrades in heritage contexts and align Scotland's heritage with climate targets, balancing preservation with innovation. 

• CARE (Community-led Affordability and Residential Energy Equity)
• Collaboration between: Heriot-Watt University, University of Glasgow and University of Edinburgh
• External partners: Community Energy Scotland; Orkney Housing Association; THAW Orkney (Tackling Household Affordable Warmth); Teeside University
• SBNZ theme: Built environment; energy 

Project summary: 

Fuel poverty remains a critical issue in rural Scotland, even in energy-rich regions like Orkney. The Community-led Affordability and Residential energy Equity (CARE) project explores how energy flexibility interventions—typically designed for affluent, tech-enabled households—can be reimagined to benefit those most in need. Through workshops with fuel-poor residents and collaboration with local organisations, CARE will identify the essential energy needs and behavioural drivers that shape the local residential energy use. These insights will be integrated into models to co-design place-based solutions, like local energy trading schemes, that could help households access lower-cost electricity, while minimizing renewable energy curtailment and need for infrastructure upgrades. The project builds on existing research and tools, adapting them to reflect real-world conditions and community priorities. CARE aims to deliver scalable models, policy recommendations, and public-facing outputs that support a just energy transition—ensuring no one is left behind in Scotland’s path to net zero. 

• Controlled agriculture lab using mine water heat (CALUM)
• Collaboration between: University of Glasgow and University of Strathclyde
• External partners: The Cairnhill Group; Dailly Community Development Trust
• SBNZ theme: Food; energy 

Project summary: 

Flooded coal mines in rural Scotland hold billions of litres of water at a constant temperature, ideal for heat pumps. This mine water geothermal (MWG) energy offers a low-carbon heating solution, with the Scottish Central Belt alone having potential reserves to meet one-third of national demand. The CALUM project aims to pioneer the use of mine water for heating in agriculture, specifically Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA), which allows year-round crop growth, including non-native species. This reduces carbon emissions from food transport and minimizes import delays. 

CALUM will explore using mine water to support a district heating network in Dailly, where expensive electric heating contributes to fuel poverty. The project is a collaboration between the Universities of Strathclyde, Glasgow, The Cairnhill Group, and Dailly Community Development Trust. By drilling and testing boreholes, the team will assess the heat resource's sustainability and potential applications, involving the local community in future developments. 

• Monitoring Peatland Restoration with Novel Geophysical Methods
• Collaboration between: University of Aberdeen and University of Edinburgh
• External partners: Peatland ACTION
• SBNZ theme: Natural systems 

Project summary: 

Peatlands are important carbon sinks, however an estimated 80% of Scotland’s peatlands are damaged, changing them from carbon skinks to sources of emissions. Peatland restoration forms a key part of the Scotland’s climate change mitigation strategy. For restoration to be successful, we need to be able to monitor large areas of peatland. However, many existing methods are limited to capturing information about small areas, over limited time periods. We aim to develop novel geophysical methods to image peat bogs in 3-dimensions and to monitor restoration efforts over time. We will use seismic nodes, for low-cost, non-invasive, monitoring of large areas of land. From the data we collect we will develop methods to image the volume of peat in 3-dimensions, allowing a more precise estimates of the carbon stocks and methods to detect changes in the subsurface over time, allow us to monitor groundwater changes, important in peatland restoration processes. 

• Beyond Net Zero Built – scalable approaches to impact through digital twinning and user engagement
• Collaboration between: Edinburgh Napier University and University of Edinburgh
• External partners: Trimble Inc.
• SBNZ theme: Built environment; energy 

Project summary: 

This project will catalyse high impact research, partnerships and collaborative activities in the areas of building performance, Life Cycle Analysis (LFA), Design for Manufacture and Assembly/Disassembly (DFMA/D), cost, embodied carbon and the use of sustainable materials. This will be achieved through the creation of digital twin models which mirror existing building archetypes, underpinned by the provision of training in the use of state-of-the-art design software and experiential learning approaches to upskill learners in the design of energy efficient buildings. This project will create data rich digital twin models of two small scale existing buildings used as part of the International Passivhaus Associations (iPHA) Icebox Challenge. Working in partnership with Trimble Inc., the models will be created using Sketchup and Sefira software platforms and interacted with using the latest augmented reality technology. These will simulate two differing building types, one built to existing Scottish building regulations, the other to the international Passivhaus standard. The accuracy of these twins will be validated and refined through testing relative to the physical assets, creating verified models which can then be scaled and related to other housing archetypes as an aid to design and retrofit activities. 

• Unpacking the tourism-transport nexus in sustainability transitions
• Collaboration between: University of Aberdeen and University of Strathclyde
• External partners: Nestrans (The transport partnership for the north east of Scotland)
• SBNZ theme: Transport 

Project summary: 

This project explores the relationship between tourism and transport on the journey to Net Zero in Scotland. While both are crucial for the economy, tourism relies heavily on unsustainable transport, impacting sustainability goals. The project aims to understand how these sectors influence each other and support Net Zero objectives. 

The research will explore how can tourism reduce its reliance on unsustainable transport? And how can transport support sustainable tourism? The project will be led by two tourism and two transport experts, and partnered with the North East Scotland transport group Nestrans, the project will involve workshops and interviews with key stakeholders. It will map out common themes and differing views, setting a future research agenda. The findings will contribute to the field of sustainability transitions and be relevant to stakeholders in both sectors. Results will be shared in a report, an academic paper, and an online presentation, laying the groundwork for further research into specific areas. 

• TRACE: Transforming Resources and Advancing Circular Economy through a Digital Marketplace for Reuse Hubs
• Collaboration between: Robert Gordon University and Heriot-Watt University
• External partners: Adventurous Systems; Stirling Reuse Hubs
• SBNZ theme: Built environment 

Project summary: 

Scotland is only 1.3% circular, meaning most materials used are new, with construction accounting for nearly 50% of consumption. To address this, we need to reduce new material extraction and improve material recovery. This project focuses on reusing construction waste to retain its value. Demolition contractors are interested in selling high-value materials from old buildings, but challenges include a lack of reuse hubs and reliable information for incorporating reused materials in designs. Although digital solutions have been explored, there are no pilot projects to prove these concepts. This project aims to develop a prototype digital marketplace for a reuse hub. Using blockchain and other technologies, the team will create a trustworthy, real-time tracking system. The project will collaborate with reuse specialists to test the prototype's effectiveness and economic viability and provide recommendations for scaling up this solution.