Numerical analysis of phase change materials for optimizing the energy balance of a nearly zero energy building

Phase change materials receive increasing attention for their potential to make building environmentally sustainable and to reduce the overheating problem. Quantitative results are needed for understanding the incidence on the energy balance of low consumption buildings and for estimating the possible increment of renewable energy self-consumptions. With this aim, by means of a multi-stage approach, the optimal configuration for microencapsulated materials integration in term of melting properties, thickness and position is discussed. It is considered the application of different management strategies for the heating and cooling system and the variability of weather conditions. The influence of insulation type and back wall technology is also explored. The results for the case study, a single-family home already certified as nearly zero energy building, highlights the potentialities in term of reduction of the cooling demand for Mediterranean and Continental climate but also the penalty due to reduction of solar gain during the winter.