Phase change materials (PCMs) incorporated into building envelopes store large amount of latent heat within a narrow temperature range, regulating heat flow between indoor and outdoor environments. This passive energy strategy is promising for thermal comfort improvement and energy load reduction in buildings. Its successful application strongly relies on adaptation to the local climate that defines a series of exterior thermal excitations. Energy goals concerning human comfort and thermal loads are set based on the energy requirements of the specific climate. Activation of latent energy storage and phase change process are also under the influence of climate. Performance influencing factors of the wall system are optimized accordingly. Towards the goal of developing energy-efficient PCM-enhanced envelopes suited for the climate, this review categorizes research on PCM-enhanced envelopes, including important system and climatic parameters, and summarizes general trends for PCM selection and thermal performances. This paper provides insight into the dependency of PCM thermal behavior on climatic conditions, enhancing understanding of the underlying mechanism for PCM operation in building structures, and sheds light on the future development and investigation of PCM-enhanced building envelopes.
Yang, TT; Ding, Y; Li, BZ; Athienitis, AK
A review of climate adaptation of phase change material incorporated in building envelopes for passive energy conservation
Building And Environment