Enhancing building thermal performance : a review of phase change material integration

Tools

Alassaad, Khaled and Minto, James and de Wilde, Pieter (2025) Enhancing building thermal performance : a review of phase change material integration. Energies, 18 (12). 3200. ISSN 1996-1073 (https://doi.org/10.3390/en18123200)

[thumbnail of Alassaad-etal-Energies-2025-Enhancing-building-thermal-performance]
Preview
 Text. Filename: Alassaad-etal-Energies-2025-Enhancing-building-thermal-performance.pdf
Final Published Version
License: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 logo
Download (1MB)| Preview

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% 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.

ORCID iDs

Alassaad, Khaled, Minto, James ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9414-4157 and de Wilde, Pieter ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3376-9775;
CORE (COnnecting REpositories)