Natural Building Systems
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2019
- HeadquartersWalpole, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
Natural Building Systems firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Natural Building Systems
- Legal name
- Natural Building Systems
- Website
- https://naturalbuildingsystems.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2019
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Natural Building Systems industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Prefabricated Modular Construction
- NAICS
- Prefabricated Wood Building Manufacturing (321992)
- SIC
- Prefabricated Wood Bldgs & Components (2452)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Residential Modular & Prefabricated Home Construction (IMAFABAF)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Residential Green / High-Performance Home Construction (Net-Zero, Passive House) (IMAFABAH)
Keywords
Where Natural Building Systems is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Walpole
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Natural Building Systems business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- ADEPT Prefabricated Building System Sales: Sale of the ADEPT panelised modular construction system including structural wall, floor and roof panels, and internal partition systems. Components are manufactured off-site in a factory-controlled environment and sold directly to developers, self-builders, and construction firms. Cost is typically around £3,000/m2 for a two-storey dwelling, with components comprising approximately one-third of total build cost.
- Licensing and Franchise Partnerships: Plans to transition from direct manufacturing to licensing the ADEPT system to regional manufacturing partners and franchisees. First licensed manufacturing partnership targeted for early 2025. This model enables scaling without proportional increase in headcount.
- Professional Services: Assisted self-build option where Natural Building Systems assembles the building envelope, internal walls, floors, and roof, with customers or local tradespeople completing plumbing, electrics, and internal finishes. Site supervision options available.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Multi-year contract | Full-system specification for residential buildings |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
Natural Building Systems product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Natural Building Systems designs, manufactures, and sells the ADEPT® panelised modular building system, a prefabricated construction solution built from bio-based materials such as hemp, timber, and wood fibre. The system comprises demountable wall, floor, roof, and internal partition panels sold to developers, architects, construction firms, public sector bodies, and self-builders. The company also produces HempSil® bio-composite insulation and HempSil® acoustic tiles as standalone and integrated offerings.
Product overview
Natural Building Systems offers a unified platform of sustainable construction products centered on the ADEPT® panelised modular building system. This core product is complemented by HempSil® Tiles, an acoustic tile offering. The ADEPT system consists of prefabricated structural wall, floor and roof panels combined with internal partition systems, all featuring demountable components made from climate-positive biobased materials including hemp, timber, and wood fibre. The system is designed for rapid assembly, energy efficiency, and full circularity through disassembly and reuse.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- ADEPT: A modular building system developed by Natural Building Systems using hemp-based materials for climate-positive construction.
- HempSil
Products and services
- ADEPT Modular Panelised Building System A prefabricated modular construction system using precision-engineered panels made from hemp, timber, and wood fibre. Delivered as a kit-of-parts including moisture-regulating, low-carbon structural wall, floor, roof panels and internal partitions, with all components demountable and reusable. Suitable for residential buildings up to 11m upper floor height and commercial buildings up to 8 stories with integrated engineered timber primary structure. Sold to developers, self-builders, construction firms, and public sector bodies.
- HempSil Tiles Acoustic tiles combining the moisture-regulating properties of HempSil with a natural aesthetic. CO2-capturing, breathable tiles made from UK-grown hemp shiv bound with minerals that are formaldehyde-free and low VOC. Suitable for various adhesives and surface finishes including clay or lime-based plasters, for interior applications.
- HempSil Bio-Composite Insulation A patented, uniquely formulated insulating material developed in Natural Building Systems' laboratory, comprised primarily of hemp shiv with a low-carbon binder. Produces a rigid insulation board with lower density and better insulation properties than hempcrete, does not require intensive drying, and offers moisture regulation, thermal buffering, and fire retardancy. Used within the ADEPT system and available as a standalone bio-composite insulation product.
- Assisted Self-Build Envelope Assembly Service A professional service where Natural Building Systems assembles the ADEPT building envelope, internal walls, floors, and roof for self-build customers, who then complete plumbing, electrics, and internal finishes with local tradespeople. Site supervision options are available. Targeted at self-builders who want climate-positive construction with reduced embodied carbon.
Quantifiable outcome
- Meadowcroft home achieved EPC rating of 114A, carbon negative in construction, with net 725 kWh energy consumption over nine months of occupation.
- +6 more outcomes
Companies that use Natural Building Systems
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Natural Building Systems technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration4 records
Feature6 records
Natural Building Systems partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
27 partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.
- ArcFlowcoreAI-enabled cloud ERP system provider for the Digital Innovation Fund project. Implementing AI-driven ERP to improve manufacturing operations, reduce manual data entry, identify material shortfalls, and automate production workflows.
- IF_DOcoreArchitecture practice collaborating on multiple projects using the ADEPT system, including the HAUS installation at elementalLONDON and the Mill House retrofit in Laxfield. IF_DO is a key design partner contributing to the visual identity and specification of Natural Building Systems projects.
- Simple WorkscoreConstruction partner on the Old Newton Primary School project, shortlisted for the Construction News Awards MMC Project of the Year.
- Mixbrow ConstructioncoreConstruction partner on the Old Newton Primary School project alongside Simple Works.
- KOPEsupportingTechnology partner in the Digital Innovation Fund project contributing to digital integration in modular construction.
- GS1 UKcoreStandards organisation providing common language for identifying, capturing and sharing data. GS1 standards power supply chains and enable RFID tagging, digital product passports, and material traceability throughout the construction lifecycle.
- DIGIT Lab, University of ExetersupportingResearch partner in the Digital Innovation Fund project, contributing academic expertise in digital innovation for the construction sector.
- CirculandcoreDigital product passport platform enabling traceability of materials and components throughout their lifecycle. Supports end-of-life reclamation and reuse, providing clients with detailed product and material data through a web-based 3D viewer forming a whole-building passport.
- Fronius UK LtdsupportingSolar inverter supplier for the HAUS installation at elementalLONDON. Provides high-efficiency solar inverters enabling reliable renewable generation.
- Don & LowsupportingAdvanced breather membranes manufactured in the UK for durable, moisture-safe envelopes. Partner on the HAUS installation.
- Triton ShowerssupportingUK trusted name in energy-efficient shower systems. Partner supplier for the HAUS installation.
- NIBEsupportingLeading heat-pump technology for low-carbon heating and hot water. Partner supplier for the HAUS installation.
- OneClick LCAsupportingWorld-leading life-cycle assessment and EPD software supporting carbon transparency and analytics. Partner on HAUS hosting workshop 'Your EPD is More Than a PDF'.
- Price&MyerssupportingCivil and structural engineering practice delivering excellent buildings across a broad range of types and scales. Engineering partner on HAUS.
- University of Suffolk Sustainability InstitutecoreLong-standing research collaboration including paludiculture projects planting reeds and Typha on the Norfolk Broads. HAUS will become a teaching space at the university. Partner on the ADEPT ecosystem development.
- Coillte (SmartPly OSB)coreIreland's national forestry semi-state, producer of SmartPly OSB used in the ADEPT system. Coillte introduced Natural Building Systems to the 2050 Accelerator programme. OSB supply sourced from Ireland.
- CHCx3 (Centre for High Carbon Capture Cropping)coreResearch partnership funded by DEFRA and led by NIAB, developing new UK-grown construction products and enhancing the evidence base for carbon capture potential of locally grown biogenic construction materials including hemp, miscanthus, reeds, and typha.
- NIABcoreLeading UK crop science research organisation leading the CHCx3 project in partnership with Natural Building Systems for developing bio-based construction products from short-cycle crops.
- Broads AuthoritysupportingCollaborating on paludiculture project planting reeds and Typha on the Norfolk Broads to revitalise wetland farming and develop sustainable local supply chains for construction materials.
- Dogpatch LabssupportingHost of the 2050 Accelerator programme, an international sustainability accelerator connecting startups with industry, government, and academia to accelerate the transition to net-zero. Based in Dublin.
- Places for LondoncoreOne of London's largest landowners, focused on leveraging land assets to create a greener, more connected city. Matched with Natural Building Systems through phase two of the Mayor of London's Better Futures Net Zero Innovation Challenge.
- SONAS BathroomssupportingElegant, durable bathroom sanitaryware supplier for modern homes. Partner on the HAUS installation.
- Parkside Architectural TilessupportingDesign-led tile collections for sustainable, adaptable finishes. Partner on the HAUS installation.
- EcoDuctsupportingUK-made pre-insulated ductwork for lightweight, high-efficiency ventilation. Partner on the HAUS installation.
- K&T ElectromechsupportingBuilding services firm specialising in mechanical and electrical design, consultancy and installation. Partner on the HAUS installation.
- Make Me WithsupportingRegenerative design and supply chain platform. Co-hosted a workshop and hackathon at Futurebuild 2025 within the Natural Building Systems bar area.
- SensiosupportingCreators of human-centred LED lighting that enhances comfort and efficiency. Partner on the HAUS installation.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Natural Building Systems competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- TopHat: UK-based modular housing manufacturer using factory precision-engineered timber panel systems for self-build and developer housing. Closely comparable to NBS in panelised timber modular construction and self-build channel targeting.
- Wernick Group: One of the UK's largest modular and prefabricated building manufacturers, offering timber-framed modular homes and buildings for residential, education, and commercial sectors. Directly comparable to NBS as a UK modular competitor with similar volumetric/panelised offerings, though Wernick uses conventional timber frame rather than bio-based composites.
- Project Etopia: UK developer and modular builder focused on zero-carbon, energy-efficient homes using panelised construction. Comparable to NBS in sustainable, low-carbon prefab housing positioning and eco-conscious buyer targeting.
Broad incumbents
- Legal & General Modular Homes: Large UK modular housing operation backed by Legal & General, targeting volume residential development at scale. Competes in the same modular residential category but at much greater scale and with conventional materials.
- Kingspan Group: Global leader in insulated panels and building envelope systems, including timber frame and insulated panel products. Competes in the broader panelised construction and high-performance insulation categories.
- Saint-Gobain: Global building materials major with insulation and timber frame offerings (Isover, Weber, Pasquill). Competes broadly in high-performance building envelopes, with growing sustainability positioning relevant to NBS's value proposition.
- Sekisui House (formerly Lumiere Homes UK): Japanese-headquartered modular housing major that entered the UK market through Wrexham-based operations, targeting volume homebuilding. Broad UK MMC competitor with conventional timber-frame modular systems.
Emerging players
- Tradical / Hempcrete Direct: UK suppliers and contractors specialising in hemp-lime (hempcrete) construction materials and builds. Directly comparable to NBS at the material/building component level for bio-based hemp construction, though focused on traditional hempcrete rather than HempSil composites.
- Carbon Dynamic: UK timber frame manufacturer producing closed-panel timber systems for low-energy homes, with focus on natural materials and offsite construction. Comparable niche overlap with NBS's bio-based panelised approach, though smaller scale.
- Plant Prefab: US-based sustainable modular home manufacturer focused on factory-built custom and multi-family housing with sustainable materials. International peer with comparable sustainable modular positioning though different materials and geography.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses6 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Natural Building Systems social profiles
Digital presenceNatural Building Systems compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Natural Building Systems financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Natural Building Systems leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles10 records
Natural Building Systems funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Natural Building Systems M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Natural Building Systems
What does Natural Building Systems do?
Natural Building Systems designs, manufactures, and sells the ADEPT® panelised modular building system, a prefabricated construction solution built from bio-based materials such as hemp, timber, and wood fibre. The system comprises demountable wall, floor, roof, and internal partition panels sold to developers, architects, construction firms, public sector bodies, and self-builders. The company also produces HempSil® bio-composite insulation and HempSil® acoustic tiles as standalone and integrated offerings.
Is Natural Building Systems a public or private company?
Natural Building Systems is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Natural Building Systems founded?
Natural Building Systems was founded in 2019. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Natural Building Systems based?
Natural Building Systems is headquartered in Walpole, United States, in the North America region.
How does Natural Building Systems make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. ADEPT Prefabricated Building System Sales are the primary driver. The others are licensing and Franchise Partnerships and professional Services.
Who are Natural Building Systems's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are TopHat, Wernick Group and Project Etopia. Broad incumbents are Legal & General Modular Homes, Kingspan Group, Saint-Gobain and Sekisui House (formerly Lumiere Homes UK). Emerging players are Tradical / Hempcrete Direct, Carbon Dynamic and Plant Prefab.
Does Natural Building Systems have an API?
No public API is recorded for Natural Building Systems.
What industry is Natural Building Systems in?
Natural Building Systems's product category is Prefabricated Modular Construction. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAFABAF, Residential Modular & Prefabricated Home Construction, with a secondary code of IMAFABAH, Residential Green / High-Performance Home Construction (Net-Zero, Passive House). Its NAICS code is 321992 and its SIC code is 2452.