Parametric analysis of applying PCM wallboards for energy saving in high-rise lightweight buildings in Shanghai

The lightweight building industry develops dramatically in recent years, however it has worse thermal comfort than traditional buildings due to its light thermal mass. A considerable amount of energy is consumed by the building sector in space heating and cooling. In addition, the building envelop can highly influence the energy consumption of buildings. Innovative technologies such as the phase change material (PCM) can be utilized on the wall to save energy and improve thermal comfort. In this paper, the performance of PCM wallboards in air-conditioned lightweight buildings in Shanghai with a hot summer and cold winter climate has been evaluated using an EnergyPlus single-zone model. Different room locations in the middle floor of high-rise buildings were studied in the modelling. The results show that the PCM wallboards improve the indoor comfort in both cooling season (summer) and heating season (winter) by reducing temperature fluctuations. However, the PCM in winter has higher efficiency than in summer due to different solar effects in each season. The optimal melting temperature for different rooms is ranged in 22-26 degrees C, which is the comfort temperature for human beings. The economic results show that the PCM integrated into southern wall has the best economic benefit. (C) 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.