Electric Wallpaper Evaluation via Cyber-Physical Systems for Clean Heating: A Pilot Study

The UK's homes are among the oldest in the world and the worst insulated in Europe, which contributes to their high carbon footprint. The average UK home loses heat three times faster than, e.g., a German property. Heating in homes and buildings is a major contributor to carbon emissions in Scotland and the UK. In the UK, heating accounts for about 37% of the total carbon emissions, with three quarters of that coming from homes. In Scotland, occupied buildings account for 13% of the country's total greenhouse gas emissions, and around 30% of its total energy consumption. Gas central heating is the most common type of heating in Scotland, with 84% of households using a gas or oil boiler as their primary source of heat. Mains gas is the most common fossil fuel used for heating homes. However, more than one million homes in Scotland are not connected to the gas grid and use electric heating or other alternative fuels. The Scottish New Build Heat Standard (NBHS) requires new buildings and limited conversions that apply for a building warrant from April 1, 2024, to use climate-friendly heating systems.
Electric Wallpaper (EWP) is gaining significant attention as an innovative replacement to gas central heating, Air Source Heat Pumps (ASHP), and alternative clean heating mechanisms. West of Scotland Housing Association (WSHA) are piloting the use of NexGen EWP technology in 12 tenemental properties to test the effectiveness of this innovative new clean heating product. This project therefore aims to conduct a pilot study to evaluate the performance of EWP technology in pre 1919 tenements in Glasgow using cutting edge monitoring technology empowered by the Internet-of-Things and AI-enabled data analytics. Data will be collected via a smart sensor system from 12 tenemental properties, owned by WSHA, that already have EWP installed and advanced analytics and forecasting will be applied to generate insights on heating levels, heat retention, and energy consumption taking into account tenants’ comfort level and feedback.