Abstract
Phase change materials (PCMs) represent an innovative solution that can contribute to the improvement of the energy performance of buildings. Recently a trend towards integrating PCMs into transparent envelope components is observed. This study aims to present the main solutions proposed in the literature for applications in the past few years for PCMs integrated into transparent buildings elements. The temporal development of this application as well as the fundamental principles of its operation is described in detail. The concept of the existing transparent PCM systems is presented, and the rationale of selecting appropriate materials is discussed. This is followed by the current practices in testing the thermal performance of transparent PCMs. The future trends in terms of the current barriers and the potential improvements are discussed. To this end the future technologies of transparent PCMs are also considered.
Highlights
The promotion of buildings’ energy efficient design is one of the main priorities of the research community in the building sector
This study aims to present the main solutions proposed in the literature for applications in the past few years for Phase change materials (PCMs) integrated into transparent buildings elements
PCMs represent an innovative solution that can contribute to the improvement of the energy performance of buildings
Summary
The promotion of buildings’ energy efficient design is one of the main priorities of the research community in the building sector. PCMs have the ability to change their phase (typically from solid to liquid and vice versa) at room temperature. This results to the storage of the amount of latent energy which is required to change the phase of the material. PCMs are used in a range of applications in the technical and building sector. In the latter case, they are mainly used in opaque components, typically in walls and ceilings. In the recent years, a trend towards integrating these materials into transparent envelope components or employing transparent PCM in building systems is being observed. The synthesis and the characteristics of stearic acid (SA)/expanded graphite (EG) composites as thermal
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