A collaborative effort between researchers at Scottish universities, the Glasgow City Council, and the West of Scotland Housing Association is trialling an electric wallpaper as an alternative to gas boilers to keep homes warm in Scotland without burning fossil fuels. 

With the ambition to reach net zero by 2045, Scotland needs to accelerate its transition to cleaner forms of energy; much of the effort in this direction has been seen in the installation and approvals for large offshore wind farms in the North Sea. 

However, Scotland’s burden of carbon emissions comes from its heating requirements. A total of 84% of Scottish homes burn gas to keep their homes warm, making up nearly 36 percent of Scotland’s annual carbon emissions, which need to be drastically reduced if the 2045 target is to be met. 

Why is Scotland’s heating so energy-intensive? 

Located at 56 degrees north, Scotland is closer to the Arctic regions than most countries in Europe and faces much colder climates. However, the reason for its higher energy consumption is not its location alone. 

Homes in Scotland are some of the oldest buildings in Europe, built at a time when insulation technology was not very well developed. On average, homes in Scotland lose heat three times faster than relatively newer housing built in Europe. 

Since heating in homes is achieved by burning gas, the inefficient insulation leads to more fossil fuel usage, thereby increasing Scotland’s carbon emissions. 

An initiative to curb the emissions is being trialled in 12 tenement properties in Glasgow, using an electric wallpaper instead of a gas boiler. 

How electric wallpaper can help? 

Electric wallpaper is a thin surface powered by electricity. It consists of strips of copper and graphene and releases infrared radiation that can warm the house without releasing any emissions. Electricity for the wallpaper can be sourced from offshore wind farms, making it a clean heating source. 

The wallpaper can be fixed to the ceiling without much hassle, and the place can start warming in about three minutes when initiated. More importantly, the warmth provided is free of combustion fumes, which typically deteriorate the air quality inside homes. 

The researchers are monitoring the approach’s efficacy using internet-of-things (IoT) sensors and artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled analytics. Feedback from tenants living in these properties was also sought on the comfort levels and has been positive, a press release said. 

“Glasgow has about 70,000 tenement flats, so finding new solutions to more efficiently heating them is vital to reaching a net zero future,” said Ruairi Kelly, a Glasgow city councillor. “Innovative pilot projects such as this are vital when considering how best to help tackle the issues of energy costs and emissions in Glasgow’s homes.” 

The project is funded by Scotland Beyond Net Zero – a coalition of climate and sustainability experts from various universities in Scotland that aims to accelerate the country’s transition to net zero emissions. The trial is one of eight other projects that involve cross-sector collaborations to address sustainability challenges. 

“The seed fund was designed to strengthen cross-institutional research partnerships between Scotland’s universities and external organisations, including community groups, government bodies, and the private sector,” said Lisanne Gibson, chair of Scotland Beyond Net Zero and also vice principal of research at the University of Dundee.