Motivation
​
​
The improvement of the energy efficiency of buildings is a worldwide area of research with a market looking for new systems and technologies that could be used to reduce buildings' dependency on fossil fuels, to make use of renewable energy sources, to contribute to a more efficient energy use, to contribute to match energy supply and demand, and to improve indoor thermal comfort in a more sustainable and cost-effective way.
In this context, Research and Innovation are essential to help Portugal to bring out their leadership in the "green economy" and "sustainable built environment" through the use of new materials, the development of smart technologies and new products with high added value, and the sustainable use of renewable energy sources. This research project intends to contribute to the Strategy for Research and Innovation for a Smart Specialization in the following priority areas: energy; materials and raw materials; and technology of production and industry of product. The project aims to develop new TES systems to take advantage of solar thermal energy for reducing cooling and heating energy demand in the buildings sector. Indeed, these new TES systems are designed to improve the energy efficiency of new/retrofitted buildings. Moreover, PCMs will be incorporated in the TES systems to allow the storage/release of heat via PCMs' phase change processes. Therefore, new PCM-based systems will be applied to the "traditional" industry of construction and new sustainable innovative products with high added value will be proposed at the end of the project.
The research carried out in the development of new solar based systems will contribute for the advancement of knowledge of the S&T Portuguese system and to emphasize the research carried out in the national research institutions, mainly in the "Centro" region of Portugal, increasing the competitiveness of the region in research and innovation.