Eco-friendly alternative to autoclaved aerated concrete with heat storage/release function

The European climate law imposes a legal obligation to meet the EU's climate target of reducing EU emissions by at least 55% by 2030. Consequently, numerous endeavours are underway to achieve this objective and ensure climate neutrality by 2050. Special efforts are being made to reduce the energy consumption associated with heating and cooling in buildings, as this need consumes a significant amount of energy. One of the emerging trends in these activities is the development of new materials with a reduced carbon footprint and new functionality related to the storage and release of heat, which can improve the energy efficiency of buildings. The article presents the results of tests on foamed concrete enriched with Microencapsulated Phase Change Materials (MPCMs) in the amount of 10% and 20% of the paste volume. The capacity of MPCMs to absorb and release substantial amounts of latent heat at a constant temperature offers the potential to decrease daily energy requirements for heating and cooling, thereby positively impacting global warming and climate change. Consequently, the incorporation of MPCMs in materials can significantly enhance the thermal functionality of the material. The densities of the tested foamed concrete were selected in relation to typical autoclaved aerated concrete products, i.e., 350 kg/m³, 500 kg/m³and 700 kg/m³. The basic thermal and mechanical properties were examined. The obtained results indicate that the tested composites may be a promising alternative to commonly used autoclaved aerated concrete. The research used some results of the NRG-STORAGE project (H2020).