Among the different ways there are to heat the housesome Scottish researchers are working on the project of electric wallpaper which manages to heat the house with a technology infrared. The University of Glasgow is testing a wallpaper designed by the company NexGen, based on graphene, copper and carbonfor the heating of 12 public houses. This new technology exploits the so-called “far infrared” and from what the company declared this new technology would allow a more homogeneous heating of environments, the reduction of mold and humidity and also a reduction in costs compared to traditional heating methods. The project is still in the testing phase, but it would be a new way to heat homes through a “clean” heat source, which can be generated from renewable sources.
Disclaimer: this is a project currently in the experimental phase and for which the definitive data are not yet known
The Glasgow Heating Project
The most common heating method is gas central heating, based on the use of fossil fuels. For this reason there are various funds that finance projects aimed at making domestic heating more sustainable: it is in this context that the idea of electric wallpaper was born.
The project was born in Scotland by researchers fromUniversity of Glasgowfrom theUniversity of Strathclydeby the West of Scotland Housing Association and Glasgow City Council, and also funded by Scotlamd Beyond Net Zero. But why Scotland? Because here there is a strong inefficiency of domestic heating: the average Scottish house loses heat about 3 times faster than houses in other European countries.
The project is still in the testing phase but has received funding from Scotland Beyond Net Zeroa coalition of climate and sustainability experts. At the moment the experiment concerns the installation in 12 council houses in Glasgow, homes built before 1919 and therefore difficult to heat. We must now evaluate the actual effectiveness of this heating method.
The data analysis is powered by a series of sensors that work with the Internet of Things (IoT) and artificial intelligence and collect information on the efficiency of the system and the comfort of the tenants in the apartments under examination, to obtain feedback on the different aspects of the project. We just have to wait for the next developments.
How infrared electric wallpaper works
The wallpaper used in the studio is produced by NexGen and contains strips of copper And graphene or carbon which create a thin metal surface that can conduct electricity. In this way the paper connected to the electric current heats up and is able to emit noises infrared which are used precisely as a heat source.
All objects at the temperatures we normally encounter (including ourselves) emit infrared rays. Depending on how close or distant it is to visible light energy levels, infrared can be classified as near (higher energy), mid-far, or outer (lower energy).
The wallpaper used in this project takes advantage of the far infrared rays low energy heaters that heat up to 40-50 °C. They are distributed over an entire wall and manage to emit enough rays to heat a room. Or rather, since it heats up, it is meant to be installed on the ceiling for safety reasons, even if the temperature reached would not allow us to burn ourselves if we touched it. According to what was declared, it would be able to provide heat in 3 minutes.
In a certain sense, infrared rays, unlike more traditional heating methods, heat the room and the people inside it without first heating the air around them. The sensation is the same as when we lie in the sun in the mountains in winter: we feel the heat on our skin even if the temperature drops below zero degrees.
Second what was declared by the companythe paper is only a fraction of a millimeter thick, is fireproof and water resistant. At the ends of the card there are gods electrical connectors which are hidden during installation. The application method is that of the more conventional wallpaper: it is glued, however with a specially developed glue. Like any wallpaper, you can cut holes in the paper to allow the installation of ceiling lights or smoke detectors or simply to fit it into all corners of the ceiling.
Each sheet of paper requires low voltage (24 volts), safe against short circuits and sufficient for gradual and constant heating of the house.
The advantages of the new method of heating your home
According to what was declared by the manufacturers, this infrared technology could present several advantages:
- Rapid heating of the home;
- Infrared rays are not dispersed in the room. For example, when the rays meet the windows they bounce off the glass, they do not pass through it, therefore they do not disperse outside the house;
- Cleaner air, because this heating method does not involve the emission of combustion fumes;
- Less mould, because the infrared penetrates the walls and evaporates the incorporated humidity (which can then be removed with dehumidification systems)
Furthermore – the aim of the project – if the electricity that is used to start this heating mechanism comes from renewable sources, then the heating method would be a “clean” heating source.
The infrared heating method can also have an economic advantage. A 2022 study evaluated the performance of infrared heating (with a technology other than wallpaper) applied to a university assembly hall. The results show a saving of 11,175 kWh compared to classic wall radiators. Consequently, the cost analysis also showed savings: up to 76% compared to electric convection heating and up to 14% compared to gas heating. The test was conducted with the heating of different parts of the room controlled by a series of sensors and algorithms which allowed it to be heated depending on the time it was occupied. The objective again this time is to reduce waste, using smart methods.
