A simulation-based platform to design high-performance buildings that use phase change materials

Phase change materials (PCMs) are promising solutions to reduce energy consumption in buildings and related greenhouse gas emissions. However, the annual performance of passive PCMs in buildings depends on their thermal effectiveness, i.e., the number of entire daily phase change cycles. To maximize this, an optimal design must be carried out for the main design parameters of PCMs, such as their melting temperatures, their amounts, and their placements. This work aims to introduce a new simulation-based platform to design high-energy-performing buildings that use PCMs. The proposed platform combines whole-building performance simulations with a multi-objective optimization process to find the best trade-off between buildings' heating and cooling performances. Whenever starting from an initial building design model in EnergyPlus software, the platform automatically sets several parametric models of PCMs to be optimized independently. Each PCM's melting temperature and thickness are considered the PCM design variables. Moreover, to improve the thermal performance of PCMs in buildings, the platform can also optimize the design of PCMs along with other architectural design variables, such as insulation, window-to-wall ratio, and external shading devices