11 - Bio-based phase-change materials

Abstract

The development and subsequent incorporation of the advanced materials and technologies in buildings, with a view to target energy savings, and to fulfill the energy requirements have been gaining impetus during the recent years. The inherent vision lying behind the state-of-the-art technological advancements taking place in the construction sector is to sustain the energy efficiency in both existing and newly developed buildings on a long run. Thermal energy storage (TES), achieved through the phase-change materials (PCMs), is one among a few energy-efficient technologies available. The energy demand at the end-user side can be greatly satisfied using the TES technologies. Using bio-based PCMs in buildings is considered to be an ever-growing as well as an emerging field of interest to wider scientific and engineering communities, worldwide. This chapter is devoted to provide an in-depth understanding of a variety of bio-based PCMs for accomplishing thermal storage and energy efficiency in buildings. The nucleus of this chapter is focused on the TES properties enhancement for a variety of bio-based PCMs through the incorporation of different functional materials thereby; energy efficiency in buildings can be achieved.