Thermal and energy performance assessment of multi-layer facade systems with latent heat storage materials: an analysis of climatic conditions in Montreal and Brisbane

This study explores the energy efficiency of smart-glazing technologies that incorporate a thin layer of solid-solid phase change material into multi-layer fenestration systems. The research involved performing numerical simulations using the finite volume method within computational fluid dynamics, with results validated against experimental data. The analysis examined the system’s energy performance across a range of transient temperatures and weather conditions, including the coldest and hottest days of the year, as well as sunny and cloudy periods.

This evaluation was carried out for Montreal (Quebec, Canada) and Brisbane (Queensland, Australia), which are categorized under the Köppen-Geiger climate codes Dfb and Cfa, respectively. The study highlights how the climatic conditions and transient temperatures of the phase change material affect the system’s transparency fraction and energy savings. It also reveals significant differences in energy savings between the two cities, underscoring the impact of local climate conditions. Overall, the findings indicate that the improvement in energy performance provided by the smart-glazing system is substantially influenced by the climatic factors and parameters analyzed in this research.