In Scotland, electric wallpaper is being tested to heat the oldest houses

Scotland is trialling special wallpaper as an alternative to gas boilers to keep older homes warm without burning fossil fuels.

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With a target to reach zero emissions by 2045, Scotland must accelerate the transition to cleaner forms of energy. However, Scotland's carbon footprint is driven by its heating needs. 84% of Scottish homes burn gas to keep warm, accounting for almost 36% of the country's annual carbon emissions.

As well as being much further north than most of Europe, Scotland also has some of the oldest houses in Europe. On average, houses in Scotland lose heat three times faster than relatively new European houses.

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Since home heating is achieved by burning gas, inefficient insulation leads to greater use of fossil fuels, thereby increasing carbon emissions. An emissions reduction initiative is being trialled in 12 block of flats in Glasgow using electric wallpaper instead of a gas boiler.

Electric wallpaper is a thin surface that runs on electricity. This wallpaper consists of strips of copper and graphene and emits infrared radiation that can warm the house without any emissions. The electricity for the wallpaper can be obtained from offshore wind farms, making it a clean source of heating.

The wallpaper can be attached to the ceiling without much effort. More importantly, the heat provided is free of combustion smoke, which typically degrades indoor air quality.

Researchers are monitoring the effectiveness of the approach using Internet of Things sensors and AI-powered analytics. 

< p>Glasgow City Council notes that there are about 70,000 apartments in the city, so finding new solutions for more efficient heating is vital to achieving zero emissions.