Recently, buildings have been receiving more serious attention to help reduce global energy consumption. At the same time, thermal comfort has become an increasing concern for building occupants. Phase Change Materials (PCMs), which are capable of storing and releasing significant amounts of energy by melting and solidifying at a given temperature, are perceived as a promising opportunity for improving the thermal performance of buildings. This is because they use their thermophysical properties and latent heat while transforming state (or phase) as a feature for thermal energy storage systems to reduce overall energy demand, specifically during peaks hours, as well as to improve thermal comfort in buildings. This research aims to provide an overview of opportunities and challenges for the utilization of PCMs in the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) sector, a broader understanding of specifically promising technologies, and a clarification of the effectiveness of different applications in building enclosures design especially in exterior walls. The research discusses how PCMs can be incorporated within building enclosures effectively to enhance building performance and improve thermal comfort while reducing heating and cooling energy consumption in buildings. The major objectives of the research include studying the properties of PCMs and their potential impact on building construction, clarifying PCMs selection criteria for building application, identifying the effectiveness of utilizing PCMs on saving energy, and evaluating the contribution of utilizing PCMs in building enclosures to thermal comfort. The research uses an exploratory quantitative approach that contains three main stages: 1) a systematic literature review, 2) laboratory experiments, and 3) validation to meet the goal of the research. Finally, by extrapolating results, the research ends with a practical assessment of application opportunities and how to effectively utilize PCMs in exterior walls of buildings. / PHD
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:VTETD/oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/100612 |
| Date | 26 April 2018 |
| Creators | Abuzaid, Abdullah Ibrahim |
| Contributors | Myers-Lawson School of Construction, Reichard, Georg, Ermann, Michael G., Schubert, Robert P., Goldsmith, David S. |
| Publisher | Virginia Tech |
| Source Sets | Virginia Tech Theses and Dissertation |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Dissertation |
| Format | ETD, application/pdf |
| Rights | In Copyright, http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/ |
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