Phase change materials and building applications : an introduction

Building insulation has been used for many years to prevent heat from escaping the building during cold days to reduce the cost of heating throughout a house or a building. However, since it’s a passive material, it still works during the hot summer days. Radiated heat from that enters through the windows and body heat from people inside the building is kept from escaping the building making it an unbearable work or living space. Typically one would turn on the air conditioning to cool the building and taking the cost of power usage for air conditioning as a fixed cost. Phase Change Materials (PCM) is an alternative way to reduce long term cost and reduce power consumption. It is a passive material like a regular building insulation but it also has the ability to keep the interior of the building at a constant temperature. The main concept is that the PCM stores excess heat during the day and expelling the stored heat during night time. By using PCM, the power consumption and the cost of temperature management is reduced during the day and during the night.Applied Science, Faculty ofElectrical and Computer Engineering, Department ofUnreviewedUndergraduat