Cost Analysis of Simple Phase Change Material-Enhanced Building Envelopes in Southern U.S. Climates

Technical Report · Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2013

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/1219890· OSTI ID:1219890

Kosny, Jan ^[1]; Shukla, Nitin ^[1]; Fallahi, Ali ^[1]

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1. Fraunhofer CSE, Cambridge, MA (United States)

Traditional thermal designs of building envelope assemblies are based on static energy flows, yet building envelopes are subject to varying environmental conditions. This mismatch between the steady-state principles and their dynamic operation can decrease thermal efficiency. Design work supporting the development of low-energy houses showed that conventional insulations may not always be the most cost effective solution to improvement envelope thermal performance. PCM-enhanced building envelopes that simultaneously reduce the total cooling loads and shift the peak-hour loads are the focus of this report.

• Research Organization: Fraunhofer CSE, Cambridge, MA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Building Technologies Office (EE-5B) (Building America)
• DOE Contract Number: AC36-08GO28308; KNDJ-0-40345-00
• OSTI ID: 1219890
• Report Number(s): DOE/GO-102013-3692; 6076
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

Phase change materials
air conditioning
peak load
building envelope
insulation
Building America
residential building energy efficiency
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Standing Technical Committees
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