Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 28, 2025

Author Spotlight: Simulation and Analysis of the Temperature Rise of Ring Main Unit Equipment
Published on: July 5, 2024
Thermal Performance of Wood Frame Construction with Phase Change Material in the Brazilian Subtropical Climate
Julia Vieira1, Raquel Oliveira1, Ana Abreu2
1Post-Graduate Program in Civil Engineering, Federal Center for Technological Education of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte 30510-000, Brazil.
Abstract:
In a Brazilian subtropical climate, Wood Frame construction, valued for sustainability and thermal inertia, is being tested for compatibility with Phase Change Materials (PCMs) to improve thermal performance. This study addresses the lack of research on these technologies in Brazil and evaluates the thermal performance of a single-story Wood Frame housing envelope with and without PCM in Curitiba-PR, located in southern Brazil with Cfb climate classification. Dynamic energy simulation followed ASHRAE Standard 55-2017 criteria for occupant thermal comfort. The results indicated that integrating PCM with thermal insulation (EPS) significantly improved thermal performance, reducing the daily indoor temperature range by up to 6.4 °C and increasing comfortable hours by 20%. However, Wood Frame construction without either BioPCM or EPS proved inadequate in achieving the minimum level of thermal performance required by Brazilian standards. This underscores the importance of evaluating potential users' thermal comfort conditions alongside the building's overall thermal performance. It also emphasizes the need to carefully consider the level of thermal insulation in conjunction with PCM for effective design decisions. Thus, this study promotes the integration of PCM and thermal insulation to enhance thermal comfort and sustainability in Wood Frame constructions in the subtropical climate of Brazil.
Related Concept Videos
Thermal Insulation in Masonry Walls
External insulation can be applied using an Exterior Insulation and Finish System (EIFS), which involves affixing panels of plastic foam to the wall and covering them with a polymeric stucco reinforced with glass fiber mesh....
Masonry in Cold and Hot Weather Conditions
Other key practices include keeping masonry units...
Mechanism of heat transfer
Mechanisms of Heat Transfer
Conduction, accounting for approximately 3% of body heat loss at rest, is the process of exchanging heat between molecules of two materials in direct contact. This can result in both heat loss and gain. For instance, when the body is submerged in water, which conducts heat 20 times more effectively than air, it can either lose or gain significant...
Composite Masonry Walls
Mechanisms of Heat Transfer II

