Investigating the Effects of PCM-Integrated Walls on Thermal Performance for UK Residential Buildings of Different Typologies

Phase change materials (PCMs) can improve the thermal performance of building facades. The integration position of a PCM in the facades is influenced by multiple factors including the material properties of the PCM, building types, and the internal and external conditions of a building. However, this has not been a focus within the UK dwelling stock, where many dwellings are not thermally protected. This paper, therefore, presents a numerical study with the aid of building simulation that comparatively analysed the thermal performance between four typical UK dwelling types (semi-detached house, terraced house, detached house, and apartment) situated in North East England. The PCM was implemented into the external wall of the dwellings with the positions altered to determine the most effective position. It was determined that the PCM positioned internally was the most effective for all the dwelling types. These results demonstrated that the PCM being implemented in the apartment, semi-detached, and terraced houses had only marginal heat loss reductions (by 8%, 14%, and 8%, respectively) in comparison with that of the detached house (by 30%). It was also found that the large external wall area of the detached house acted as significant thermal energy storage, which was capable of offsetting heat transmission and stabilising indoor thermal conditions. In summary, this paper contributes to the matters concerning the effect of PCMs on indoor thermal performance in dwellings of different typologies in the UK.