Bamboo-encapsulated bio-based PCM panel as thermal stabiliser for glamping in a highland area of Indonesia

Abstract

Glamping has become an alternative to camping with a unique nature experience. However, maintaining the temperature and humidity for glamping tents in highland areas remains challenging. Thermal conditions inside a tent fluctuate more drastically than outdoors, affected by the outdoor conditions, leading to significantly higher temperatures inside the tent during daytime and lower temperatures during nighttime. This study investigates the performance of bamboo-encapsulated bio-based phase change materials (PCM) panels as thermal stabilisers inside glamping tents in highlands. For five cycles, the environmental factors were measured, including temperature and relative humidity (RH) inside glamping tents, with (Tent 1) and without PCM panels (Tent 0), and outdoors in a highland area in Indonesia. The measured temperature within the glamping tents was compared with the outdoor temperature, divided into four periods in the daytime (Periods A-D) and one in the nighttime (Period E). Additionally, response surface methodology was performed to understand the response of various factors influencing the performance of PCM panels. This study demonstrates that PCM panels substantially improve temperature control in glamping tents. During the daytime, bio-based PCM panels effectively maintained the indoor temperatures of Tent 1 up to 3.99 °C colder than Tent 0. In conclusion, this study highlights the significant impact of PCM panels in stabilising the temperature inside the glamping tent, which also affects RH.