Enhancing Building Thermal Performance : A Review of Phase Change Material Integration
Alassaad, Khaled ; Minto, James and de Wilde, Pieter LU
(2025)
In Energies
18(12).
- Abstract
Buildings are responsible for over one-third of global energy use and greenhouse gas emissions, with heating and cooling being major contributors. Phase change materials (PCMs) offer a promising passive solution to improve thermal regulation and reduce heating and cooling loads. This review analyses different experimental and simulation-based studies on the integration of PCMs into building structures for enhancing building energy performance. The key variables examined include melting temperature, latent heat capacity, thermal conductivity (λ), PCM positioning (interior, exterior, or embedded), thickness, and climate zone. The results show that PCMs reduce heat transfer by up to 47.6%, stabilize indoor temperatures with up to a 46%... (More)
Buildings are responsible for over one-third of global energy use and greenhouse gas emissions, with heating and cooling being major contributors. Phase change materials (PCMs) offer a promising passive solution to improve thermal regulation and reduce heating and cooling loads. This review analyses different experimental and simulation-based studies on the integration of PCMs into building structures for enhancing building energy performance. The key variables examined include melting temperature, latent heat capacity, thermal conductivity (λ), PCM positioning (interior, exterior, or embedded), thickness, and climate zone. The results show that PCMs reduce heat transfer by up to 47.6%, stabilize indoor temperatures with up to a 46% reduction in fluctuations, and decrease heating and cooling demands by as much as 31%, depending on component placement and climate. The optimal melting range for moderate climates lies between 22 °C and 28 °C. This review identifies critical trade-offs between PCM quantity, placement, and climatic suitability and provides a matrix of design recommendations for various building types.
(Less)
- author
- Alassaad, Khaled
; Minto, James
and de Wilde, Pieter
LU
- organization
- publishing date
- 2025-06
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- energy efficiency, HVAC systems, latent heat, Phase Change Materials (PCMs), sustainable construction, temperature regulation, thermal conductivity, thermal performance
- in
- Energies
- volume
- 18
- issue
- 12
- article number
- 3200
- publisher
- MDPI AG
- external identifiers
-
- scopus:105008983307
- ISSN
- 1996-1073
- DOI
- 10.3390/en18123200
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- additional info
- Publisher Copyright: © 2025 by the authors.
- id
- 7772fa04-35fa-451f-a316-b49a3c6a3fcb
- date added to LUP
- 2025-12-17 15:38:22
- date last changed
- 2025-12-17 15:39:36
@article{7772fa04-35fa-451f-a316-b49a3c6a3fcb,
abstract = {{<p>Buildings are responsible for over one-third of global energy use and greenhouse gas emissions, with heating and cooling being major contributors. Phase change materials (PCMs) offer a promising passive solution to improve thermal regulation and reduce heating and cooling loads. This review analyses different experimental and simulation-based studies on the integration of PCMs into building structures for enhancing building energy performance. The key variables examined include melting temperature, latent heat capacity, thermal conductivity (λ), PCM positioning (interior, exterior, or embedded), thickness, and climate zone. The results show that PCMs reduce heat transfer by up to 47.6%, stabilize indoor temperatures with up to a 46% reduction in fluctuations, and decrease heating and cooling demands by as much as 31%, depending on component placement and climate. The optimal melting range for moderate climates lies between 22 °C and 28 °C. This review identifies critical trade-offs between PCM quantity, placement, and climatic suitability and provides a matrix of design recommendations for various building types.</p>}},
author = {{Alassaad, Khaled and Minto, James and de Wilde, Pieter}},
issn = {{1996-1073}},
keywords = {{energy efficiency; HVAC systems; latent heat; Phase Change Materials (PCMs); sustainable construction; temperature regulation; thermal conductivity; thermal performance}},
language = {{eng}},
number = {{12}},
publisher = {{MDPI AG}},
series = {{Energies}},
title = {{Enhancing Building Thermal Performance : A Review of Phase Change Material Integration}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/en18123200}},
doi = {{10.3390/en18123200}},
volume = {{18}},
year = {{2025}},
}