A Review on Phase-Changing Materials Applications in Energy-Efficient Building Envelope Designs

Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning systems have been used in modern building construction and design since the early 1900s to maximize thermal comfort. However, in exchange for the benefits it has given since its establishment, the system always provides the largest thermal and energy load for the building or area it serves. Thermal insulation for walls, ceilings, and other structural sections of the building has been created to reduce the energy consumption of the system to achieve and maintain a desired temperature in an area. This material reduces building thermal energy loss due to its thermal retention. Thus, designing energy-efficient building envelopes and choosing appropriate materials has become an integral part of the building design process worldwide. This study examines Phase Change Materials, which are utilized in building envelope designs and materials due to their enhanced mechanical and chemical properties, which make them superior thermal insulators compared to conventional insulating building materials, this review also tackles PCM types and classification, encapsulation methods, incorporation techniques with building envelope materials, and recent studies on PCM incorporation effects on buildings thermal load performance as past study suggest that PCM technology has improved building thermal energy by decreasing thermal heat gain of the building its serve, improving its thermal load performance at an average of 25% of annual energy consumption savings, thus proving the great potential of PCM incorporation as a passive and effective way of building’s energy efficient utilization and conservation.