IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jeners/v18y2025i14p3629-d1698000.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Energy Efficiency in Buildings Through the Application of Phase Change Materials: An In-Depth Analysis of the Integration of Spent Coffee Grounds (SCGs)

Author

Listed:
  • Abir Hmida

    (School of Engineering, University of Quebec in Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Rouyn-Noranda, QC J9X 5E4, Canada)

  • Fouad Erchiqui

    (School of Engineering, University of Quebec in Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Rouyn-Noranda, QC J9X 5E4, Canada)

  • Abdelkader Laafer

    (Ovamus Laboratory, LSTM Laboratory, Mechanical Department, Faculty of Technology, University of Blida 1, Blida 09000, Algeria)

  • Mahmoud Bourouis

    (Department of Mechanical Engineering, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Av. Països Catalans No. 26, 43007 Taragona, Spain)

Abstract

Energy demand in the building sector has drastically increased due to rising occupant comfort requirements, accounting for 30% of the world’s final energy consumption and 26% of global carbon emissions. Thus, to improve building efficiency in heating and cooling applications, phase change material (PCM)-based passive thermal management techniques have been considered due to their energy storage capabilities. This study provides a comprehensive review of the research on PCM applications, types, and encapsulation forms. Various solutions have been proposed to enhance PCM performance. In this review, the authors suggest new methods to improve PCM efficiency by using the multilayered wall technique, which involves employing two layers of a hybrid bio-composite—specifically, the hybrid hemp/wood fiber-reinforced composite with a polypropylene (PP) matrix—along with a layer of PCM made from spent coffee grounds (SCGs). Previous studies have shown that oil extracted from SCGs demonstrates good thermal and chemical stability, as it contains approximately 60–80% fatty acids, with a phase transition temperature of approximately 4.5 ± 0.72 °C and latent heat values of 51.15 ± 1.46 kJ/kg.

Suggested Citation

  • Abir Hmida & Fouad Erchiqui & Abdelkader Laafer & Mahmoud Bourouis, 2025. "Energy Efficiency in Buildings Through the Application of Phase Change Materials: An In-Depth Analysis of the Integration of Spent Coffee Grounds (SCGs)," Energies, MDPI, vol. 18(14), pages 1-29, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:18:y:2025:i:14:p:3629-:d:1698000
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/18/14/3629/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/18/14/3629/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Fabrizio Ascione & Nicola Bianco & Rosa Francesca De Masi & Margherita Mastellone & Giuseppe Peter Vanoli, 2019. "Phase Change Materials for Reducing Cooling Energy Demand and Improving Indoor Comfort: A Step-by-Step Retrofit of a Mediterranean Educational Building," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(19), pages 1-32, September.
    2. Kuczyński, T. & Staszczuk, A. & Gortych, M., 2025. "Comparison of heavy building envelopes and PCM: Impact on indoor temperature peaks and cooling energy use during heat events," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 325(C).
    3. Faraj, Khaireldin & Khaled, Mahmoud & Faraj, Jalal & Hachem, Farouk & Castelain, Cathy, 2020. "Phase change material thermal energy storage systems for cooling applications in buildings: A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 119(C).
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Koharu Tani & Sayaka Kindaichi & Keita Kawasaki & Daisaku Nishina, 2025. "Application of a Phase-Change Material Heat Exchanger to Improve the Efficiency of Heat Pumps at Partial Loads," Energies, MDPI, vol. 18(14), pages 1-18, July.
    2. Rostami, Sara & Afrand, Masoud & Shahsavar, Amin & Sheikholeslami, M. & Kalbasi, Rasool & Aghakhani, Saeed & Shadloo, Mostafa Safdari & Oztop, Hakan F., 2020. "A review of melting and freezing processes of PCM/nano-PCM and their application in energy storage," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 211(C).
    3. Pilar Mercader-Moyano & Manuel Ramos-Martín, 2020. "Comprehensive Sustainability Assessment of Regenerative Actions on the Thermal Envelope of Obsolete Buildings under Climate Change Perspective," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(14), pages 1-40, July.
    4. Ahmet Bircan Atmaca & Gülay Zorer Gedik & Andreas Wagner, 2021. "Determination of Optimum Envelope of Religious Buildings in Terms of Thermal Comfort and Energy Consumption: Mosque Cases," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(20), pages 1-17, October.
    5. Abdelhakim Hassabou & Rima J. Isaifan, 2022. "Simulation of Phase Change Material Absorbers for Passive Cooling of Solar Systems," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(24), pages 1-17, December.
    6. Huang, Xinyu & Liu, Zemin & Gao, Xinyu & Xie, Yuan & Gao, Jiayi & Yang, Xiaohu, 2025. "Application of actively enhanced solar phase change heat storage system in building heating: A numerical and statistical optimization study," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 241(C).
    7. Beyne, W. & T'Jollyn, I. & Lecompte, S. & Cabeza, L.F. & De Paepe, M., 2023. "Standardised methods for the determination of key performance indicators for thermal energy storage heat exchangers," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 176(C).
    8. Enghok Leang & Pierre Tittelein & Laurent Zalewski & Stéphane Lassue, 2020. "Impact of a Composite Trombe Wall Incorporating Phase Change Materials on the Thermal Behavior of an Individual House with Low Energy Consumption," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(18), pages 1-32, September.
    9. Farooq, Abdul Samad & Zhang, Peng & Gao, Yongfeng & Gulfam, Raza, 2021. "Emerging radiative materials and prospective applications of radiative sky cooling - A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 144(C).
    10. Joanna Krasoń & Przemysław Miąsik & Aleksander Starakiewicz & Lech Lichołai, 2025. "Thermal Energy Storage Possibilities in the Composite Trombe Wall Modified with a Phase Change Material," Energies, MDPI, vol. 18(6), pages 1-23, March.
    11. Vítor Leal & Raul Teixeira, 2020. "PoDIT: Portable Device for Indoor Temperature Stabilization: Concept and Theoretical Performance Assessment," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(22), pages 1-15, November.
    12. Skiba, Marta & Mrówczyńska, Maria & Sztubecka, Małgorzata & Bazan-Krzywoszańska, Anna & Kazak, Jan K. & Leśniak, Agnieszka & Janowiec, Filip, 2021. "Probability estimation of the city’s energy efficiency improvement as a result of using the phase change materials in heating networks," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 228(C).
    13. Zeyad Amin Al-Absi & Mohd Hafizal Mohd Isa & Mazran Ismail, 2020. "Phase Change Materials (PCMs) and Their Optimum Position in Building Walls," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(4), pages 1-25, February.
    14. Jesus Fernando Hinojosa & Saul Fernando Moreno & Victor Manuel Maytorena, 2023. "Low-Temperature Applications of Phase Change Materials for Energy Storage: A Descriptive Review," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(7), pages 1-39, March.
    15. Su, Yuan & Wang, Linwei & Feng, Wei & Zhou, Nan & Wang, Luyuan, 2021. "Analysis of green building performance in cold coastal climates: An in-depth evaluation of green buildings in Dalian, China," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 146(C).
    16. Yuan, Shunpan & Yan, Rui & Ren, Bibo & Du, Zongliang & Cheng, Xu & Du, Xiaosheng & Wang, Haibo, 2021. "Robust, double-layered phase-changing microcapsules with superior solar-thermal conversion capability and extremely high energy storage density for efficient solar energy storage," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 180(C), pages 725-733.
    17. Bayram, Muhammed & Ustaoglu, Abid & Kursuncu, Bilal & Hekimoglu, Gokhan & Sari, Ahmet & Uğur, Latif Onur & Subasi, Serkan & Gencel, Osman & Ozbakkaloglu, Togay, 2024. "3D-printed polylactic acid-microencapsulated phase change material composites for building thermal management," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 191(C).
    18. Enrique C. Quispe & Miguel Viveros Mira & Mauricio Chamorro Díaz & Rosaura Castrillón Mendoza & Juan R. Vidal Medina, 2025. "Energy Management Systems in Higher Education Institutions’ Buildings," Energies, MDPI, vol. 18(7), pages 1-35, April.
    19. Peng, Benli & Sheng, Wenlong & He, Zhengyu & Wang, Hong & Su, Fengmin & Wang, Shikuan, 2022. "Systematic investigations on charging/discharging performances improvement of phase change materials by structured network fins," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 242(C).
    20. Valeria Annibaldi & Federica Cucchiella & Marianna Rotilio, 2020. "A Sustainable Solution for Energy Efficiency in Italian Climatic Contexts," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-16, June.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:18:y:2025:i:14:p:3629-:d:1698000. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.