Innovative Methods to Integrate Phase Change Materials into Canadian Buildings

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The building sector contributes over one-third of global greenhouse gas emissions. The use of energy storage in buildings is a promising solution to offset some of the heating needs and can help facilitate a wider adoption of renewable energy technologies and accelerate the decarbonization of the grid. Many thermal storage options that function to harness solar energy and decrease space conditioning loads exist, but most require large, costly infrastructure that cannot easily be retrofitted into an existing building. To overcome these challenges, phase change materials (PCM), which change in their physical state by absorbing or releasing large amounts of heat, can be integrated into the building envelope or interior walls of a building and act as a thermal storage system. The integration of PCM into new and existing building components can significantly contribute to reducing space heating and cooling requirements, while not occupying valuable, usable building space. The long-term objective of the applicant's research program is to reduce the energy consumption of Canadian buildings through the strategic use and integration of new insulating and thermal storage materials. Within this broader goal, the short-term objective is to develop and evaluate PCM solutions for both passive and active thermal storage in Canadian buildings and address the many challenges and barriers to their widespread use. To achieve this, three main research questions will be addressed: RQ1: How can building energy modelling be improved to determine surface temperature profiles, and how can new methods be used to model building integrated PCM? RQ2: Can the use of multiple PCM with different melting points be integrated into single building components to meet Canada's combined heating and cooling loads? RQ3: How can passive and active PCM systems be combined into a single building integrated thermal storage system to regulate the mismatch between solar gains and space heating and cooling demands? A total of 3 Ph.D., 2 M.A.Sc. and 4 undergraduate students will be trained in this research program. Preliminary studies have shown a possible reduction of up to 30% in both the heating and cooling loads of the building. Integrating this reduction into buildings would be invaluable in meeting Canada's emissions targets and international commitments. PCM technology cannot be widely realized in Canada at present, as suitable composite PCM systems are not at a technology readiness level that allows their benefits to be realized on a large scale. This program will increase the technology readiness level of composite PCM systems to provide effective integration, experimental, and simulation methods, as well as ground-breaking new solutions that will allow the benefits of PCM to be reaped.