Abstract
Building sector is associated with high energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, which contribute to climate change. Sustainable development emphasizes any actions to reduce climate change and its effect. In Malaysia, half of the energy utilized in buildings goes towards building cooling. Thermal comfort studies and adaptive thermal comfort models reflect the high comfort temperatures for Malaysians in naturally conditioned buildings, which make it possible to tackle the difference between buildings’ indoor temperature and the required comfort temperature by using proper passive measures. This study investigates the effectiveness of building’s retrofitting with phase change materials (PCMs) as a passive cooling technology to improve the indoor thermal environment for more comfortable conditions. PCM sheets were numerically investigated below the internal finishing of the walls. The investigation involved an optimization study for the PCMs transition temperatures and quantities. The results showed significant improvement in the indoor thermal environment, especially when using lower transition temperatures and higher quantities of PCMs. Therefore, the monthly thermal discomfort time has decreased completely, while the thermal comfort time has increased to as high as 98%. The PCM was effective year-round and the optimum performance for the investigated conditions was achieved when using 18mm layer of PCM27-26.
Highlights
One of the globally recognized Sustainable Development Goals aims to take urgent action to reduce climate change and its effect
The recent versions of EnergyPlus have implemented a new method, which can include the hysteresis of the phase change materials (PCMs)
Several graphical interfaces are available for EnergyPlus, which simplify its use by various types of users, i.e., researchers, engineers, architects, and students [46]
Summary
One of the globally recognized Sustainable Development Goals aims to take urgent action to reduce climate change and its effect. Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are major contributors to climate change [1]. In Malaysia, the energy sector is responsible for 76%. Of the GHG emissions [2], which is linked to the large energy production from fossil fuels combustion [3]. Efforts were made to reduce the GHGs emissions associated with the energy sector [4]. In line with these efforts, buildings offer a high potential to reduce energy consumption and the associated GHGs emission, since they are responsible for 50.5% of the total electricity consumption [5]. The tropical climate in Malaysia causes thermally uncomfortable conditions in buildings. Occupants tend to use airconditioning for cooling [6], which accounts for 45% of the total electricity consumption in buildings [7]
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