{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,11]],"date-time":"2025-10-11T02:18:46Z","timestamp":1760149126380,"version":"build-2065373602"},"reference-count":36,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"13","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2023,7,7]],"date-time":"2023-07-07T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1688688000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Polymers"],"abstract":"<jats:p>This work focuses on the development and analysis of a new multifunctional facade panel incorporating PCM in foam layers. The thermal performance was analysed recurring to a hotbox heat flux meter method to determine the thermal transmittance (U-value) and the main findings are presented. The experimental setup was based on the steady-state approach, using climatic chambers, assuring a stable thermal environment. Even small fractions of PCM achieved a small reduction in thermal amplitude. Numerical simulations using Ansys Fluent were developed to evaluate the performance of PCM use over a wide range of temperature boundary conditions and operating modes. These numerical models were calibrated and validated using the results of experimental tests, achieving a correlation factor of 0.9674, and, thus, accurately representing a real-world scenario. The decrement factor (f) was used to analyse the data. It was identified that the efficiency of the panel and size of the optimum region increased with the PCM fraction growth. The results showed the significant potential of the multi-layered panel, with the thermal regulator effect of the PCM incorporated, on indoor space temperature so as to reach good thermal comfort levels. The efficiency of the panel can be improved by nearly 50% depending on the input boundary conditions. The efficiency of the panel and the size of the optimum region increase with growth in the PCM fraction. The simulated behaviour was at an optimum when the input mean temperature was 20 \u00b0C for a room temperature of between 18\u201320 \u00b0C.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/polym15132971","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2023,7,7]],"date-time":"2023-07-07T02:37:29Z","timestamp":1688697449000},"page":"2971","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":2,"title":["Thermal Performance of Multifunctional Facade Solution Containing Phase Change Materials: Experimental and Numerical Analysis"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"15","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-4258-8231","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"C.","family":"Amaral","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"TEMA\u2014Centre for Mechanical Technology and Automation, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal"},{"name":"LASI\u2014Intelligent Systems Associate Laboratory, 4800-058 Guimar\u00e3es, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-6544-1067","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"F.","family":"Gomez","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"AMS\u2014Advanced Material Simulation, C\/Asturias n\u00b03, 48015 Bilbao, Spain"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-4056-1788","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"M.","family":"Moreira","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"TEMA\u2014Centre for Mechanical Technology and Automation, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal"},{"name":"LASI\u2014Intelligent Systems Associate Laboratory, 4800-058 Guimar\u00e3es, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0203-5488","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"T.","family":"Silva","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"TEMA\u2014Centre for Mechanical Technology and Automation, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal"},{"name":"LASI\u2014Intelligent Systems Associate Laboratory, 4800-058 Guimar\u00e3es, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-5456-1642","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"R.","family":"Vicente","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"RISCO\u2014Research Center for Risks and Sustainability in Construction, Civil Engineering Department, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2023,7,7]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"410","DOI":"10.1016\/j.apenergy.2016.04.084","article-title":"Thermal performance of buildings integrated with phase change materials to reduce heat stress risks during extreme heatwave events","volume":"194","author":"Ramakrishnan","year":"2017","journal-title":"Appl. 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