COMBINED USE OF PHASE CHANGE MATERIAL AND THERMAL INSULATION IN THE BUILDING ENVELOPE TO ENHANCE THE THERMAL COMFORT AND ENERGY-SAVING

The combined use of phase change material (PCM) and thermal insulation (TI) is a crucial opportunity to enhance the thermal performance of buildings. This study aims to determine the optimum location and thickness of PCM and TI, as well as the melting temperature of PCM, in the exterior walls of an educational building located in five climate regions of Türkiye, and proposes a combination of PCM and TI techniques to reduce its cooling energy demand. Antalya, Istanbul, Ankara, Van, and Erzurum were selected to represent the various climatic regions of Türkiye. The simulation results revealed that the combined use of PCM and TI could effectively reduce the interior temperature (ITR) and provide better thermal comfort than incorporating PCM alone. The exterior wall type with PCM in the innermost layer and TI in the outermost layer was the most effective configuration for reducing the temperature fluctuations and cooling energy demand. The optimum melting temperature of the PCM was determined to be 27 ºC, ensuring a higher ITR and lower cooling energy consumption. The combined use of PCM (30 mm) and TI (10 mm), when properly selected according to local climatic conditions, can achieve considerable energy savings (9.12-19.95%).