Evaluation of the impact of phase change humidity control material on energy performance of office buildings

Phase change humidity control material (PCHCM) is a new kind of composite made of high performance PCM microcapsules and diatomite. The PCHCM composite can moderate the hygrothermal variations by absorbing or releasing both heat and moisture and significantly reduce the peak/valley values of indoor temperature and relative humidity. In this paper, a novel model is developed to evaluate the energy performance of office buildings with PCHCM. The model is validated by a series of experiments, and then applied to investigate the effect of PCHCM on energy consumption in different typical climates worldwide (i.e. Beijing, Paris, Atlanta, and Guangzhou). Results show that high values of energy efficiencies can be obtained in the climates which characterized by a wide amplitude of temperature and humidity difference all day along (Paris and Atlanta). Noteworthy, the highest potential energy saving rate could be up to 19.57% for the office building in Paris.