Potential of phase change materials to mitigate overheating in residential blocks in severe cold regions of China

Due to global warming, cities in severe cold regions of China are experiencing rising temperatures in summer. In response to climate change trends, this study reports on a study exploring the effectiveness of incorporating phase change materials (PCMs) into building envelopes to mitigate indoor and outdoor overheating risks. The study selected typical residential blocks and buildings in three cities and monitored indoor and outdoor temperatures to determine the overheating conditions during the summer months. Based on the actual measurements, simulations were conducted using the EnergyPlus and ENVI-met platforms to explore the changes in indoor and outdoor temperatures before and after the installation of PCMs. In the monitored residences in Yichun, Harbin, and Shenyang, the percentage of overheating duration in bedrooms was 25.82 %, 40.39 %, and 56.01 % respectively. The simulation results suggested that using PCMs can significantly reduce indoor overheating duration and lower summer outdoor temperatures. The overheating duration in south-facing bedrooms decreased by 66.07 %, 26.58 %, and 39.10 %, respectively. The average outdoor environmental temperature in residential blocks decreased by as much as 0.21 °C, 0.27 °C, and 0.34 °C, respectively. This study results demonstrated the potential of PCMs to enhance thermal comfort in residential and urban environments in severe cold regions.