Theoretical limits for storage of energy in buildings

Abstract The mass incorporated in the structure of a building has long been used to store energy and offset heating requirements. The amount of mass to employ has been a subject of debate. Existing passive solar design manuals in the United States give recommendations for the amount of mass to employ in different building types, and establish optimum levels for different designs. However, an evaluation of the maximum benefits of building mass on energy consumption has not been performed. In this paper, two limits for the effect of building mass on energy consumption are formulated. The limit for maximum energy consumption is based on there being no mass available in the building for energy storage. The limit for minimum energy consumption is based on there being sufficient mass present to allow excess energy gains to be used at any time during the time period of interest. These limits allow the maximum economic benefit of building mass to be determined. Examples of the application of these limits are presented.