Electric wallpaper is being tested as a sustainable alternative to central heating in social housing properties in Glasgow. With around 70,000 tenement flats in Glasgow alone, Scottish homes are among the oldest and least insulated in Europe, leading to heating accounting for over 36% of total carbon emissions in the UK. The average Scottish home loses heat three times faster than homes in many European countries.
The trial of electric wallpaper is taking place in 12 tenement properties in Glasgow that are owned and managed by the West of Scotland Housing Association. The electric wallpaper, which is applied to the ceiling and then painted over, aims to serve as a “clean” heat source and potentially replace central heating. The trial began this year, and while data on energy consumption is yet to be analysed, tenants have reported positive feedback since its installation.
Academics collaborating with the West of Scotland Housing Association and Glasgow City Council, along with recent funding from Scotland Beyond Net Zero, are leading this project. Dr. Ahmad Taha from the University of Glasgow and Dr. Alejandro Moreno-Rangel from the University of Strathclyde are deploying technology such as the internet of things and AI-enabled data analytics to gather information on efficiency, comfort, and feedback from tenants.
The internet of things enables interconnected networks of physical objects to exchange data via the internet. Funded by Scotland Beyond Net Zero, a coalition of climate and sustainability experts from Scottish universities, this trial is one of eight new research collaborations focusing on the transition towards net zero emissions.
Andrew Kubski, director of development and asset management for the West of Scotland Housing Association, expressed delight with the positive tenant feedback on the electric wallpaper trial. Working with the academic expertise from the University of Glasgow and the University of Strathclyde brings a comprehensive viewpoint to assessing the effectiveness of this innovative heating solution.
Councillor Ruairi Kelly from Glasgow City Council stressed the importance of finding efficient heating solutions for the numerous tenement flats in Glasgow to achieve a net-zero future. Innovative projects like the electric wallpaper trial play a crucial role in addressing energy costs and emissions in Glasgow’s homes.
Professor Lisanne Gibson from the University of Dundee and chair of Scotland Beyond Net Zero’s seed fund committee highlighted the necessity of ambitious and integrated approaches to meet Scotland’s net-zero targets. These initiatives represent significant progress towards a more sustainable and equitable future, locally and globally.