Use of microencapsulated phase change material in buildings

Due the to climate change, increasing thermal loads and comfort cooling in buildings, the technology of thermal energy storage seems to be one of the optimum future solutions to provide better thermal comfort for occupants with an efficient energy use. The main interests of the work presented here was to prove the technology of thermal energy storage using phase change materials (PCM) in building envelops, achieving important energy savings in buildings. This thesis deals with two main aspects, phase change materials (PCM), and their application in buildings typologies. The application of PCM in two building typologies was tested in Lleida, which represents a typical continental climate in Spain, similar to the one in Madrid, with cold winters and hot and relatively dry summers, and with important daily temperature oscillation between day and night. The construction and experimental monitoring of two real concrete cubicles allowed showing the energy storage occurred in the walls by microencapsulated PCM with respect to the conventional concrete without PCM.