Energy Efficiency Indicators for Assessing Construction Systems Storing Renewable Energy: Application to Phase Change Material-Bearing Façades

Abstract

Assessing the performance or energy efficiency of a single construction element by itself is often a futile exercise. That is not the case, however, when an element is designed, among others, to improve building energy performance by harnessing renewable energy in a process that requires a source of external energy. Harnessing renewable energy is acquiring growing interest in Mediterranean climates as a strategy for reducing the energy consumed by buildings. When such reduction is oriented to lowering demand, the strategy consists in reducing the building's energy needs with the use of construction elements able to passively absorb, dissipate, or accumulate energy. When reduction is pursued through M&E services, renewable energy enhances building performance. The efficiency of construction systems that use renewable energy but require a supplementary power supply to operate can be assessed by likening these systems to regenerative heat OPEN ACCESSEnergies 2015, 8 8631 exchangers built into the building. The indicators needed for this purpose are particularly useful for designers, for they can be used to compare the efficiency or performance to deliver an optimal design for each building. This article proposes a series of indicators developed to that end and describes their application to façades bearing phase change materials (PCMs).

Modelling changes in the energy efficiency of buildings using neural networks on the example of Zielona Góra

“…The reduction of the energy demand of the building is based on the use of construction elements, which are able to absorb passively, distract or collect energy [27].…”

Evaluating the Financial Feasibility of Renewable Energy Integration in Construction Sector

“…Renewable energy sources are being explored as alternatives to traditional energy systems due to increased global environmental awareness (Dikmen and Gültekiṅ, 2017). This paradigm shift states that the construction industry is under pressure to go green because it uses a lot of energy and harms the environment (Tenorio et al, 2015). The International Energy Agency (IEA) reported in 2022 that the building and construction sector uses 36% of global energy and emits 39% of energy-related CO2 (IEA, 2023).…”

Improving indoor thermal comfort by using phase change materials: A review

“…[6][7][8][9][10] TES plays a necessary role in a wide range of industrial and residential applications to improve the efficiency of Abbreviations: EPS, expanded polystyrene; GP, glass powder; HVAC, heating ventilation and air conditioning; LA-LWA, lauryl alcohol-lightweight aggregate; LHS, latent heat storage; MPCM, microencapsulated phase change material; PCM, phase change materials; SHS, sensible heat storage; SSPCM, shape-stabilized phase change material; TCM, thermochemical material; TES, thermal energy storage; TESC, thermal energy storage concrete; EAFD, electric-arc furnace dust; TGA, thermo gravimetric analyzer; UHI, urban heat island; VIP, vacuum insulation panels; WPC, woodplastic composite; xGnP, exfoliated graphite nanoplatelets Symbols: Q SENSIBLE , The sensible heat storage [kJ]. [6][7][8][9][10] TES plays a necessary role in a wide range of industrial and residential applications to improve the efficiency of Abbreviations: EPS, expanded polystyrene; GP, glass powder; HVAC, heating ventilation and air conditioning; LA-LWA, lauryl alcohol-lightweight aggregate; LHS, latent heat storage; MPCM, microencapsulated phase change material; PCM, phase change materials; SHS, sensible heat storage; SSPCM, shape-stabilized phase change material; TCM, thermochemical material; TES, thermal energy storage; TESC, thermal energy storage concrete; EAFD, electric-arc furnace dust; TGA, thermo gravimetric analyzer; UHI, urban heat island; VIP, vacuum insulation panels; WPC, woodplastic composite; xGnP, exfoliated graphite nanoplatelets Symbols: Q SENSIBLE , The sensible heat storage [kJ].…”

“…Over the years, the use of TES with solar energy systems has been verified to reduce efficiently the excessive usage of fossil fuels in building energy systems. [6][7][8][9][10] TES plays a necessary role in a wide range of industrial and residential applications to improve the efficiency of Abbreviations: EPS, expanded polystyrene; GP, glass powder; HVAC, heating ventilation and air conditioning; LA-LWA, lauryl alcohol-lightweight aggregate; LHS, latent heat storage; MPCM, microencapsulated phase change material; PCM, phase change materials; SHS, sensible heat storage; SSPCM, shape-stabilized phase change material; TCM, thermochemical material; TES, thermal energy storage; TESC, thermal energy storage concrete; EAFD, electric-arc furnace dust; TGA, thermo gravimetric analyzer; UHI, urban heat island; VIP, vacuum insulation panels; WPC, woodplastic composite; xGnP, exfoliated graphite nanoplatelets Symbols: Q SENSIBLE , The sensible heat storage [kJ]. ; Q LATENT , The latent heat storage [kJ].…”