Thermal energy storage and the passive house standard: How PCM incorporated into wallboard can aid thermal comfort

This paper looks at the application of Thermal Energy Storage in enhancing thermal comfort through the moderation of summer temperature swings. The effect of PCM wallboard on indoor temperatures is examined for a number of European locations using a tailored Dynamic Building Simulation tool. Cooling effects of up to 3°C and reduced overheating hours of up to 18% are predicted. It was found that the effectiveness of the wallboard is climate dependent and that care must be taken to choose the most appropriate phase change temperature.