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		Ultimate Home Design News
		October 7, 2009 Saving Up To 30 Percent In Residential And Commercial Building Energy Usage With Bio-Based Phase Change Materials Phase Change Energy Solutions (PCES) manufactures innovative and energy-saving construction materials in Asheboro, NC. They were founded in 2007 by Dr. T.G. Horwath and his son Peter Horwath to develop and market their ideas for using phase change materials for energy savings in residential and commercial buildings. For years the Horwaths had been aware of phase change materials (PCMs) and their ability to impact the construction industry in terms of energy efficiency. They knew there was business potential, but the high cost and flammable nature of the paraffin-based PCMs they were familiar with held them back, as these types of flammable materials are less than ideal for building and construction. When non-parrafin-based, or “bio-based” (and therefore less flammable) PCMs hit the market, the Horwaths believed it presented the right opportunity at the right time to build a business with bio-based PCMs. They knew such PCMs could change the way builders and contractors construct commercial and residential structures. They quickly went about building a team of seasoned business executives to lead their new business, including entrepreneur Alex Chaffetz who was brought on as their new president. “It was clear from the start that the power of bio-based phase change materials have the ability to dramatically reduce heating and cooling costs. The opportunity to bring this to market was very exciting so I jumped right in,” Chaffetz said. In 2007, PCES partnered with Renewable Alternatives (a subsidiary of Entropy Solutions, Inc.) to become a licensee of Entropy’s phase change technology for building materials. Using Entropy’s patented PureTemp™ Renewable Phase Change Technology, a specially engineered vegetable oil derivative that controls temperatures to extremes for extended periods of time, PCES developed BioPCM™ – a supplemental insulation barrier that maintains consistent temperatures in commercial and residential buildings. Going “Beyond insulation” BioPCM, PCES’ flagship product, is designed to work with insulation to provide superior energy savings. Insulation works by increasing the thermal resistance of a structure, slowing the heat flow through the walls of the building. BioPCM works by increasing a structure’s thermal mass – its resistance to temperature change. “Increasing the thermal mass of buildings is one of the most overlooked solutions to our global energy crisis. In this sense, phase change materials represent an important part of our world’s future thermal management systems,” said Rusty Sutterlin, Ph.D., developer of Entropy’s PureTemp technology and recipient of the prestigious Presidential Award for Green Chemistry. Available in a variety of forms, BioPCM has myriad applications in the construction industry, with the most popular uses being an aid to insulation, and in flooring and ceiling tiles. Applied to the interior stud walls behind drywall and encapsulating the wall cavity insulation, the membrane’s insulation pockets absorb and slowly release heat that gets through the structure from the outside. Addressing the company’s early concerns about flammability, PCES combined PureTemp’s unique bio-based PCMs with a non-toxic, earth-friendly fire suppressant that enables BioPCM to act as a fire suppressor. Its built-in fire suppressant capabilities help extinguish most small fires and add critical extra minutes to allow occupants of a structure to escape larger, more dangerous fires. Its tested, patent-pending manufacturing method provides similar energy savings performance without the downside of petroleum-based PCMs. Expanding building and construction possibilities BioPCM with PureTemp is effective in residential and commercial new construction and remodels. The materials work by absorbing and releasing energy based on the outside temperature to regulate the inside temperature of a structure. During the day they absorb heat (cooling), and at night they release heat (heating). This makes a structure's energy cycle more efficient – intelligently capturing and releasing otherwise wasted energy. Some recognized applications for BioPCM in the building and construction industry include: New home construction and renovation where BioPCM-backed flooring and wall materials capture and retain energy Panel insulation used in telecom towers, replacing costly and inefficient diesel-powered cooling devices BioPCM embedded in ceiling and roofing tiles providing reduced energy consumption in retail, commercial and industrial applications Going beyond building and construction, bio-based PCMs have nearly limitless commercial applications across a wide range of industries, including textiles, shipping and health care, among others. BioPCM proof of performance In 2008, PCES tested BioPCM in two unique climates – Arizona and North Carolina – to determine the measurable benefits of utilizing the technology. The tests for each location compared both new and previously constructed buildings with and without BioPCM incorporated into the walls and ceilings. "We performed countless tests trying to optimize the performance of our products, and those tests confirmed the superior performance of BioPCM with PureTemp,” Chaffetz said. “It helps keep structures at a more consistent temperature throughout the day, which improves energy efficiency. For the construction industry it’s arguably the only true 'green' temperature-regulating technology available today." The results of the year-long studies indicated that BioPCM saves upwards of 30 percent in overall energy usage, while also providing a more consistent and comfortable climate within a structure. For example, one university lab study concluded that BioPCM performed exponentially better than concrete with several times the mass. Additional tests and analyses were performed by the USDA, Independent Life-Cycle and BEES, which have resulted in PureTemp being listed in the USDA BioPreferred directory as the only "green" choice in the Heat Transfer Fluid category. Furthermore, the Department of Energy notes that PCMs integrated into a building structure can help save on construction costs. For example, contractors may be able to purchase a smaller HVAC system, decrease the amount of insulation needed or to reduce the size of stud walls – from 2”x6” to 2”x4”. The future of BioPCM Adding BioPCM to existing building design without any other design changes will generally yield up to a 30 percent decrease in HVAC energy usage. In the future, combining proper design, a blend of new construction techniques and the use of bio-based PCMs, there is the potential to reduce a new structure’s energy usage by up to 90 percent. Certain modeling software is already incorporating the ability to model buildings that use PCMs. The Department of Energy also has conducted extensive research confirming performance and opportunities to use PCMs for meaningful energy savings. In addition to commercial and residential building purposes, Entropy’s PureTemp, which “powers” BioPCM, is being applied to other relevant applications. Tests are underway with telecommunication companies to help maintain a consistent temperature with battery boxes out in the field that provide back-up power. Additionally, BioPCM is being tested with “soft structures,” such as military tents (traditionally very energy inefficient) to provide protection to individuals and equipment in remote areas of the world. BioPCM is currently available for commercial testing and is expected to be broadly available in 2010.

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