Hot Trends in Home Heating: Electric Wallpaper

Early feedback suggests that electric wallpaper could be an eco-friendly, efficient and affordable alternative to traditional heating systems. We spoke to a leading electric wallpaper manufacturer to understand more about the encouraging results of the product’s pilot trials and how this new technology could benefit your home.

What Is Electric Wallpaper?

Electric wallpaper is typically installed on ceilings. It contains thin strips of copper and graphene, which utilize infrared technology to produce heat. Michelle Ansell, Project Manager for electric wallpaper manufacturer NexGen, explains that this low-level, invisible-to-the-naked-eye light works similarly to how the sun provides warmth.

Traditional convection systems heat the surrounding air, but infrared heats people and objects directly. “The energy from infrared sinks directly into us humans first,” Ansell explains. “Then it’s absorbed into and stored within the furniture and fabric of the building. So walls, floors, and everything you touch has a comfortable, even temperature.”

Ansell explains that the NexGen investors wanted to tackle fuel poverty and provide a low-cost, low-carbon, efficient and green heating technology. “Currently, in the UK, we’re targeting social housing,” she says. “We’ve got pilots running up and up and down the country.”

One of the major pilots involves a collaboration between researchers at Strathclyde and Glasgow Universities, Glasgow City Council and the West of Scotland Housing Association, with funding from Scotland Beyond Net Zero. Scotland has an ambitious target to reach net zero greenhouse gases by 2045. Given 84 percent of Scottish homes use gas heating, clean energy alternatives to fossil fuels are a priority.

The trials are focusing on social housing in old, poorly insulated, mold-prone tenement buildings in Glasgow, and so far, the feedback and results have been positive.

Benefits of Electric Wallpaper

Below are some reasons why silent, inconspicuous electric wallpaper has the potential to be a viable alternative to traditional home heating methods.

Energy-efficient and eco-friendly

Electric wallpaper is an energy-efficient, low-carbon home heating option that doesn’t rely on fossil fuels. Hooking the electrics up to roof solar panels makes it even more eco-friendly and cuts your heating bills further.

Electric wallpaper heats rooms quickly (within minutes), and because the heat sinks into the objects, the room retains warmth well after you switch it off. Electric wallpaper also covers a large surface area, producing a consistent temperature across the room. Ansell says this avoids those cold spots you get from convection heaters, making it especially useful for hard-to-heat homes. “Every time you open a window or a door, that warm air is not escaping because we’re not heating the air,” she says.

“The efficiencies also come because you don’t have to heat the whole home,” Ansell says. “Each room becomes its own targeted individual zone.”

Protects against mold

Mold thrives on damp surfaces prone to gathering condensation. Because the infrared technology of electric wallpaper generates warmth on and within the surfaces of your home, it can effectively wick away mold-encouraging moisture.

Ansell explains that smart technology monitors humidity levels. “If it senses you’re at a point where condensation, damp and mold can form, there is an override switch that can automatically kick in to raise the room’s temperature,” she says.

Affordable to buy and install

Exact prices are not yet available in the U.S. However, despite electric wallpaper being a new-to-the-market product, you don’t have to worry about it costing an arm and a leg.

“In the UK at the moment, we are cheaper than an air source heat pump in terms of physical product and installation,” Ansell says. “We are on par or cheaper than a gas boiler.”

Easy to install

You don’t want to DIY install electric wallpaper unless you’re a licensed electrician. However, it’s usually easier and quicker to install than a gas boiler or furnace. A decorator can install the rolls of wallpaper to your ceiling with a standard adhesive, and then an electrician will wire it in. “When we install it, all the cables get hidden behind coving or trunking in rooms, just to tidy them away,” Ansell says. You can then paint the ceiling as you would normally. “The only caveat is you can’t put black paint on it,” Ansell says. “It affects the efficiency of the infrared energy coming into the room.”

Low-maintenance

Another cost-saving and convenient benefit of electric wallpaper is that it’s low maintenance. Ansell describes it as “fit-and-forget.”

“We give a 15-year guarantee, but really, it’s the lifetime of the house because there are no moving parts to it, and it’s out of reach,” she says. “The paper is fireproof and water-resistant as well.”

Space-saving

Electric wallpaper can be beneficial in small, multifunctional rooms with limited wall space. Ansell says the ceiling installation gives people back the space in front of the radiators.

Drawbacks of Electric Wallpaper

While the trial results are encouraging, electric wallpaper is a new product. Data on true longevity, running costs, and efficiency are still being scrutinized.

Plus, if you’re installing electric wallpaper in an existing home rather than a new build construction, you need to factor in the costs associated with removing the existing heating system, and you’ll also need a water heating system.

Ansell explains that, with the ceiling installation, electric wallpaper is less prone to damage. However, she cautions, “If you’re moving tall furniture around that might scrape the ceiling, that might damage it.”

Is Electric Wallpaper Available in the U.S.?

Electric wallpaper isn’t currently widely available in the U.S. However, Ansell explains that NexGen is on track to introduce its product to the U.S. homeowner market in the summer of 2025.

About the Expert

• Michelle Ansell is a Project Manager at NexGen Carbon Zero Limited. The company specializes in electric wallpaper production with the goal of decarbonizing heating and providing affordable warmth; video interview, Oct. 31, 2024.

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