Enhancing Building Energy Efficiency with Innovative Paraffin-Based Phase Change Materials

Abstract

There is a rising demand for energy-efficient and low-carbon buildings that is driven by the energy consumption in the building sector, global population growth, and high standards of comfort. Integrating contemporary energy-efficient technologies is crucial for tackling this issue. In this study, thermal energy storage (TES) technologies are investigated, particularly phase change materials (PCMs), by using them in buildings and in order to improve energy efficiency. Paraffin-based PCMs are the main focus and are known for their advanced thermal storage capacity and compatibility with building materials. The work focuses on embedding these PCMs into building components such as roofs and walls in order to maximize energy efficiency. Key data, including thermal conductivity (varying from 0.063 W/mK to 0.175 W/mK) and solar reflectance (ranging from 42.7% to 70.31%), were taken with a Hot Disc TPS1500 and a UV-Vis-NIR spectrophotometer and used as inputs for EnergyPlus calculations. The results show that PCM-enhanced materials greatly increase thermal regulation and energy efficiency. Gypsum boards 30% PCM-enhanced used in buildings achieved up to 12.8% annual energy consumption reductions (106.1 kWh/m2) and 22.3% net annual energy consumption savings (52.2 kWh/m2) when compared to baseline scenarios. The study indicates that PCM integration can significantly cut energy usage while improving indoor thermal comfort, underlining its potential for widespread use in sustainable building design.