Current Application Status of Phase Change Energy Storage in Building Energy Efficiency

This review surveys phase change materials (PCMs) for building energy efficiency, covering organic, inorganic, and eutectic PCMs, along with macro-, micro-, and shape-stabilized encapsulation methods. It reports that PCMs can cut annual heat gain by 21–23% in tropical climates and reduce Mediterranean cooling loads by 7.5–9.5% and heating loads by 55–61.6%. The authors also identify remaining challenges in long-term stability, thermal conductivity, cost, and simulation-experiment agreement.