Abstract
The service sector accounted for nearly 10 % of the total final energy consumption in Spain (414,692.157 GJ) in 2010, with the largest consumers being in the office sector and an increasing trend is expected in the coming years. Greenhouse gases (GHG) emitted by the commercial and institutional sector were the equivalent of approximately 8.2 Mt of CO2. Consequently, energy savings in this sector offer the best means of reducing the energy demand.
Banking sector within the service sector have been studied in a previous research by authors where regression models for the prediction of the annual energy consumption in the Spanish banking sector were presented. Results provided relevant information on the energy performance of the Spanish banking sector and contribute new data for the energy performance of the sector. From this study, it was found that a balance between comfort and energy efficiency represents a great challenge. Within this scenario Phase Change Materials (PCMs) are willing to be studied and compared for obtain the above mentioned balance because they can passively cool and heat a living area without the need of including heavy mass or extra space typically required by sensible heat storage materials.
It has been demonstrated that for the development of a latent heat storage system (LHTS) in a building fabric, the choice of the PCM is key to improve the heat transfer mechanism in the building. They can be incorporated in the walls, ceiling and floor of buildings for further thermal energy storage and will help in reducing energy demands associated with temperature control. The potential for PCMs is great. For example, converting 0.45 kg of ice at 0 °C to 0.45 kg of water at 0 °C requires the “storage” of about 1.055 MJ, conversely, about 1,000 Btu are released as the water freezes. A temperature change of 5/9 °C requires about 1.42 m3 (3,175.75 kg) of concrete to store 1.055 MJ. The reduction in massand volume offered by PCM use is potentially enormous.
To this end, this research develops an analysis to show environmental considerations regarding two PCMs that can be used into Spanish banking offices which have energy consumption behaviour different to residential sector. The analysis takes into account Spanish climatic severities and proposes essential strategies for planning and promoting different methods to decrease its environmental impact, to lower the consumption of energy resources, and to reduce economic costs.
