Combining PCM and EPS Reduces Annual Carbon Dioxide Emissions by 61,257 kg

According to a report by the Public Relations Office of the University of Tehran, the findings of this research indicate that with the optimal use of this system, total annual energy consumption can be reduced by up to 36.57 percent and annual CO₂ emissions by up to 61,257 kg.

These findings have been published in an article titled "A Comprehensive Parametric Analysis of Energy Consumption and CO₂ Emission Reduction in Residential Buildings Equipped with a Hybrid PCM-EPS System Using an Interpretable Surrogate Model" by Dr. Naser Mehrdadi, Maryam Pazoki, and Mohammad Pourmohammadi in the reputable journal Energy Conversion and Management: X, which has an impact factor of 8.8.

Focusing on one of the world's most significant environmental challenges—namely, high energy consumption in the building sector and its role in carbon dioxide emissions—this research has examined the effect of using hybrid PCM-EPS walls on the thermal and energy performance of residential buildings in the moderate mountainous climate of Iran.

In this study, researchers evaluated the complex design space of building systems using an extensive database comprising 10,192 simulation scenarios. Furthermore, by developing an interpretable surrogate model based on the Response Surface Methodology (RSM), they enabled rapid prediction of heating and cooling energy consumption—an approach that, compared with black-box models, allows for a better understanding of the relationships among design parameters.

The results of this research demonstrate that the optimal use of hybrid PCM-EPS walls can bring about significant achievements in the areas of energy efficiency and environmental sustainability. According to the findings, heating energy consumption decreased by up to 64.4 percent, cooling energy consumption by up to 20.4 percent, and total annual energy consumption by up to 36.57 percent. Additionally, the building's annual carbon dioxide emissions were reduced by up to 61,257 kg per year.

Other significant results of this research include a 47.3 percent increase in thermal comfort hours under conditions where cooling and heating systems are turned off, a considerable reduction in energy consumption, and an improvement in building sustainability through the optimization of the building envelope.

In concluding this study, the researchers emphasized that the data-driven framework presented can be used as an effective tool for designing high-performance hybrid PCM-EPS walls in moderate mountainous climates and can pave the way for the development of low-carbon, low-consumption buildings.