Date of Award

2-5-2025

Publication Type

Thesis

Degree Name

M.A.Sc.

Department

Mechanical, Automotive, and Materials Engineering

Keywords

Building; Climate-Adaptive; Net Zero-Energy; PCM; Thermal load; Ventilative Cooling

Supervisor

David Ting

Supervisor

Graham Reader

Rights

info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess

Abstract

This thesis explores energy conservation strategies in residential buildings by analyzing the combined impact of dynamically controlled air exchange rates and integration of portable phase change material (PCM) layers to the building envelopes across diverse U.S. climates: tropical (Miami), arid (Las Vegas), temperate (Los Angeles), and continental (Gaithersburg). The study demonstrates that dynamically adjusting air exchange rates significantly reduces cooling loads, achieving up to 18% savings in arid climates like Las Vegas. Additionally, integrating PCMs effectively reduces heating loads during peak demand periods, with reductions of up to 2.6% in climates with pronounced temperature fluctuations, such as Gaithersburg. The findings highlight the synergy between adaptive ventilation and PCM integration, particularly in continental climates, where day-night and seasonal variations maximize energy efficiency. In Gaithersburg, which is in the continental climate, 810 MJ more thermal load reduction was achieved when having both dynamic ventilation and PCM together. A basic cost analysis based on the average electricity price in each city revealed that implementing an outdoor temperature-controlled ventilation strategy makes the most cost savings in Los Angeles with mild /temperate climates leading to a $245 reduction annually. However, the combined effect of dynamic ventilation and PCM was more significant in Gaithersburg with $80 savings in one year of electricity costs. Overall, this research underscores the potential of climate-responsive, adaptive building systems to advance energy efficiency.

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