Investigation on the Role of Phase Change Materials in Building's Energy Consumption Management

Energy consumption tendency in buildings and to find out the methods to manage and optimize it as audit or energy management methods are considered nowadays. Energy audit in every building is influenced by academic studies, experience and acquainting with new technologies of energy conservation. Renewable energies can play an important role in this way. Phase change materials (PCMs) are new substances with high heat of fusion. They absorb energy as latent heat until transformation in their phase. When the absorbed heat is needed, heat is extracted and material change to the primary condition. PCMs are very effective because they can be used in a variety of temperatures in cooling and heating. During the summer season, the benefits are a decrease in overall energy consumption and a time shift in peak load to off-peak hours that can decrease energy consumption cost. So, in this paper the role of PCMs in energy consumption management is considered.