Utilization of Thermal Mass in the Toronto Net Zero Energy House for Thermal Comfort and Energy Savings

A detailed model of the Net Zero Energy Town House in Toronto is developed in TRNSYS. The incorporation of thermal mass into the building envelope has been demonstrated to contribute to the enhancement of occupant comfort through the reduction of indoor temperature fluctuations. It has also been shown to cause a decrease in the overall energy consumption associated with the heating and cooling of buildings. The incorporation of a variety of thermal mass such as a concrete slabs and phase change materials (PCM) into the building envelope is modelled. The impact of using the thermal mass on the indoor temperature and the overall heating/cooling loads is analyzed. Simulations are conducted for the summer and winter months to determine the potential reductions in the peak temperatures and daily temperature fluctuations. Hourly temperature profiles are analyzed to estimate the total number of hours that the indoor temperature falls or rises above the set point. The effectiveness of using phase change materials is contrasted with the use of thermal mass such as a concrete slab.