In order to compensate for the small storage capacity of lightweight buildings, that usually suffer from pronounced overheating insummer, the incorporation of Phase Change Materials (PCMs) into the opaque envelope can be an effective way to enhancethermal inertia and to improve the thermal comfort. In particular, PCM wallboards are recommended during refurbishment, asthey have a small thickness and can be easily applied on the inner surface of both the walls and the ceiling.In this paper, a comprehensive study is presented about the effectiveness of PCM wallboards for improving summer thermalcomfort in existing lightweight buildings. The study is based on dynamic simulations carried out with the software EnergyPlus ona sample office building. The analysis is repeated in four different locations, ranging from Southern Europe (Catania, Italy) toNorthern Europe (Paris, France).The results of the simulations may help designers to make the correct choices in terms of position of the PCM wallboards,scheduled rate of nighttime ventilation and value of the peak melting temperature for the specific PCM.

The effectiveness of PCM wallboards for the energy refurbishemnt of lightweight buildigs

EVOLA G
;
MARLETTA L
2014-01-01

Abstract

In order to compensate for the small storage capacity of lightweight buildings, that usually suffer from pronounced overheating insummer, the incorporation of Phase Change Materials (PCMs) into the opaque envelope can be an effective way to enhancethermal inertia and to improve the thermal comfort. In particular, PCM wallboards are recommended during refurbishment, asthey have a small thickness and can be easily applied on the inner surface of both the walls and the ceiling.In this paper, a comprehensive study is presented about the effectiveness of PCM wallboards for improving summer thermalcomfort in existing lightweight buildings. The study is based on dynamic simulations carried out with the software EnergyPlus ona sample office building. The analysis is repeated in four different locations, ranging from Southern Europe (Catania, Italy) toNorthern Europe (Paris, France).The results of the simulations may help designers to make the correct choices in terms of position of the PCM wallboards,scheduled rate of nighttime ventilation and value of the peak melting temperature for the specific PCM.
2014
Phase Change Materials; lightweight buildings; summer thermal comfort; strorage efficiency
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11769/15731
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