Development of Advanced Building Systems with PCM, VIP, and AEROGEL

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This project aims to advance knowledge and promote research related to the development of advanced and responsive building systems that integrate some nanotechnologies and new building materials, such as Phase Change Materials (PCMs), vacuum insulating panels (VIPs), and aerogel, to drastically reduce a building’s energy demand. PCMs have a high latent heat during phase change and may be used for reducing the temperature swings of (lightweight) buildings by increasing the building thermal capacity. The recent mass production of new microencapsulated PCMs promises a wider dissemination of building systems incorporating PCMs, but their potential for the Canadian building sector is still unexplored. Similarly, although the remarkably low thermal conductivity of both VIPs and aerogels, which are among the most promising super-insulating materials, their inclusion in advanced prefabricated building systems is still negligible. The project will mainly adopt an experimental approach, while also incorporating theoretical studies, software simulations, and technology transfer and dissemination activities. The project will start with the thermo-physical characterization at the PI’s Building Science Lab of some PCMs, VIPs, and aerogel products. The research will then focus on the design and development of transparent and opaque nanotech-enhanced building systems. Among the transparent systems, double glazing with translucent PCMs and triple glazing with PCMs and aerogel in different cavities will be tested. Among the opaque systems, multi-layer panels, with VIPs or aerogel panels in the core, and different PCM-enhanced lightweight boards on the indoor side will be tested. Window frames with aerogel in their cavity or as thermal breakers will also be investigated. In the second phase of this project, field experiments will be carried out in Toronto using instrumented test cells equipped with the prototyped innovative systems. Lastly, the project will involve the installation of some systems in real buildings. The main goals of this project are: - to develop and test advanced building systems in the Canadian climatic conditions and to assess the energy saving potential for different building typologies, including for building retrofitting, while considering the aging performance; - to train HQP on the development of new advanced building systems and to help the technological transfer of the latest material science discoveries into the national construction sector.