In a recent report, https://www.iea.org/cooling/, the IEA state that “Growing demand for air conditioners is one of the most critical blind spots in today’s energy debate”. Global energy demand from air conditioners is expected to triple by 2050, requiring new electricity capacity the equivalent to the combined electricity capacity of the United States, the EU and…
Image courtesy of DLR Group DLR Group Architects (http://www.dlrgroup.com/home/) have incorporated Bio-PCM ENRG blankets into walls and ceilings of a classroom and its performance will be compared with a similar, non-PCM containing classroom (see http://schoolconstructionnews.com/2018/02/16/thermal-mass-2-0-reinventing-energy-design-user-experience/). The project is based at Canyon View High School in Waddell, Arizona. Both rooms will monitor HVAC energy, overall building energy…
Image courtesy of Roland Korner, Filmfabrik, Woessner The new apartment building in Vaduz, Liechtenstein has been designed as an active energy building. Details of the project can be found at http://www.architectour.net/opere/opera.php?id_opera=6869&nome_opera=Marxer%20Haus&architetto=Falkeis%C2%B2architects&language=1 and http://www.puretemp.com/pcmatters/inspired-by-nature-marxer-haus-takes-wing-in-liechtenstein. As well as many other sustainable features, the apartment block utilises movable “wings”. These climate wings contain 1.4 tonnes of Rubitherm PCMs enclosed in aluminium tubes. …
The US Department of Energy has issued a report in December 2017 (https://www.energy.gov/sites/prod/files/2017/12/f46/bto-DOE-Comm-HVAC-Report-12-21-17.pdf) entitled ENERGY SAVINGS POTENTIAL AND RD&D OPPORTUNITIES FOR COMMERCIAL BUILDING HVAC SYSTEMS. Amongst the high priority technology options listed are phase change materials. The report describes the potential as follows: B.10 Phase Change Materials Technology Description Phase change materials (PCMs) provide passive cooling…
(Image and text courtesy of MIT) Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have found a way to prevent wax-based PCMs from releasing their stored heat until triggered by light. MIT’s Professor Jeffrey Grossman stated that “the trouble with thermal energy is, it’s hard to hold onto it,” So his team developed what are essentially…
This is a report by Applied Research Associates, Inc. (ARA), under contract to the US Department of Defense Environmental Security Technology Certification Program (ESTCP) (see http://www.dtic.mil/get-tr-doc/pdf?AD=AD1022577). A hybrid Environmental Control Unit (HECU) technology was demonstrated in which the integrated heat exchangers, filled with Phase Change Material (PCM), were fitted into a facility’s air conditioning system at the…
For those who missed the launch of this German engineering standard at the end of last year it’s certainly worth checking out VDI 2164. This 70 page document is half in German and half in English and covers the use of PCMs in construction applications in great detail. A three page abstract (including the index)…
There is considerable evidence to support the fact that overheating of buildings in the UK is becoming an increasing problem. In a recent survey (October 2015), on behalf of WSP:Parsons Brinckerhoff, 83% of the 1,005 London households surveyed stated that they had experienced at least one period of overheating during that summer. Part of the problem…
Microtek has acquired the Micronal microencapsulated phase change business and technology from BASF. Current production is at BASF’s Ludwigshafen (Germany) site but it is understood that this will move to Microtek’s Dayton, Ohio facility by the end of the year. Microtek will start working with existing Micronal customers on May 23rd. It is believed that…
Phase Change Materials(PCMs), or latent heat storage materials for building applications, are an emerging technology in the UK. They offer a solution for improving the thermal performance and comfort of low thermal mass buildings currently being constructed using modern materials and techniques and also when renovating existing building stock. Find out what PCMs are, how they…