Enhancing Energy Efficiency and Economic Sustainability of Buildings through Phase Change Material Integration—A Systematic Literature Review

Building construction and operation consume one-third of the world's total energy, and thermal loads account for 34 percent of the total building energy consumption. Phase change materials (PCMs) emerged as a solution to reduce energy consumption in buildings due to their high energy storage density and the ease with which PCMs can be incorporated into buildings. This study presents a systematic literature review of 32 peer-reviewed journal papers based on relevancy to the topic, published between 2008 and 2024, to identify critical parameters that enhance the energy efficiency of buildings incorporating PCMs in their building envelopes. The findings indicate that PCMs' effectiveness heavily depends on their melting temperatures, layer thicknesses, climatic conditions, and proper ventilation at nighttime to solidify the PCM for the next cycle. A relatively thick PCM layer with a high melting temperature in moderate climate zones, coupled with appropriate night ventilation, offers the most efficient thermal energy savings. Future research should focus on the storage efficiency of PCMs, optimizing PCM use with ventilation, and conducting life cycle cost assessments. The study concludes that a single PCM cannot provide consistent energy efficiency globally, making efficiency analysis essential before integration into building structures.