Traditional, state-of-the-art and renewable thermal building insulation materials: An overview

The enhancement of energy performance of buildings has become a pillar of energy policies. The main target is the cut of energy consumption to reduce buildings footprint. This aim is pursued by introducing constrains on building requirements in terms of properties of basic materials and components and exploitation of renewable energy sources . That results in the definition of the zero-energy building (ZEB) concept. The new paradigm introduced new challenges and, at the same time, involved all the different stakeholders in facing the barriers to the diffusion of the novel solutions proposed by the research development. This paper summarizes the actual state-of-art of whole performance of ZEBs and the related technical solutions, analysing their increasing potential in energy consumption. A collection of the different case studies reported in literature involving ZEBs is presented, compiling an analysis of the performance of the common solutions actually applied. The technologies involved are described discussing their impact in meeting the ZEB requirements. A debate is proposed, pointing out the main aspects deserving further investigations and outlining the critical elements in making the zero-energy target the new standard for the buildings.

A review of performance of zero energy buildings and energy efficiency solutions

Solar energy is a renewable energy source that can be utilized for different applications in today’s world. The effective use of solar energy requires a storage medium that can facilitate the storage of excess energy, and then supply this stored energy when it is needed. An effective method of storing thermal energy from solar is through the use of phase change materials (PCMs). PCMs are isothermal in nature, and thus offer higher density energy storage and the ability to operate in a variable range of temperature conditions. This article provides a comprehensive review of the application of PCMs for solar energy use and storage such as for solar power generation, water heating systems, solar cookers, and solar dryers. This paper will benefit the researcher in conducting further research on solar power generation, water heating system, solar cookers, and solar dryers using PCMs for commercial development.

https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/12/16/3167/pdf

Phase Change Materials (PCM) for Solar Energy Usages and Storage: An Overview

Recent advances in preparations and applications of carbon aerogels: A review

As thermal energy storage (TES) technologies gain more significance in the global energy market, there is an increasing demand to improve their energy efficiency and, more importantly, reduce their costs. In this article, two different methods for insulating TES systems that are either incorporated inside residential buildings or buried underground in direct vicinity of the building are reviewed and discussed. Boundary conditions are storage volumes in the range 10 – 1000 m3 and storage temperatures up to 90 °C. The first method involves the application of thermal insulation materials on the outside of the storage. Thermophysical properties and costs of conventional materials (such as mineral wools and organic foams) are compared against those of state-of-the-art products such as vacuum insulation panels and aerogels. A parametric comparative analysis is conducted to evaluate the combined costs of thermal insulation and living space occupied by the thermal insulation for TES systems integrated inside buildings. It is shown, for example, that the use of vacuum insulation panels becomes advantageous when the economic value of saving living space outweighs the extra cost of the insulation itself. The second method discussed is the so-called evacuated powders, in which the insulation is realized by creating an evacuated double-wall powder-containing envelope around the storage. The theoretical foundations of this method are discussed and the properties of commonly used powders – such as expanded perlite and fumed silica – are provided. Reference costs of double-wall vacuum-insulated TES tanks are provided and the use of evacuated powders is compared against the application of conventional insulation materials.

A review and evaluation of thermal insulation materials and methods for thermal energy storage systems

In residential sector, air conditioning system takes the biggest portion of overall energy consumption to fulfil the thermal comfort need. In addressing the issue, thermal insulation is one efficient technology to utilize the energy in providing the desired thermal comfort by its environmentally friendly characteristics. The principle of thermal insulation is by the proper installation of insulation using energy-efficient materials that would reduce the heat loss or heat gain, which leads to reduction of energy cost as the result. This paper is aimed to gather most recent developments on the building thermal insulations and also to discuss about the life-cycle analysis and potential emissions reduction by using proper insulation materials.

L. Aditya

Papers

A review on insulation materials for energy conservation in buildings