Building thermal environment regulation and control

  Building thermal environment regulation and control integrates dynamic insulation materials (e.g., phase change materials, aerogels), intelligent ventilation systems (IoT-based sensor networks with machine learning optimization), renewable energy coupling technologies (solar-geothermal heat pumps, PV-thermoelectric synergy systems), and envelope optimization (shading, natural ventilation, green roofs) to achieve precise control of indoor temperature, humidity, air quality, and thermal comfort. It aims to reduce energy consumption, suppress pollutants and mold growth, and promote healthy building practices alongside life-cycle low-carbon management. This field focuses on balancing human-centric needs (thermal comfort and health) with energy-environmental sustainability, spanning from individual buildings to urban-scale thermal environment optimization.

Building energy-saving technologies 

   Building energy-saving technologies focus on systematically reducing lifecycle energy consumption and carb on emissions through passive design optimization (e.g., high-performance building envelopes, natural ventilation/daylighting), active system upgrades (high-efficiency HVAC, smart energy management), and renewable energy integration (solar, geothermal heat pumps, building-integrated photovoltaics). For existing building retrofits, key strategies include external wall insulation (vacuum insulation panels, aerogel composites), window replacement (low-emissivity glass, thermally broken aluminum frames), equipment efficiency enhancement (magnetic levitation chillers, variable-frequency heat pumps), and smart energy system reconstruction (digital twin monitoring, demand-response control), supported by policy incentives (e.g., China’s Green Retrofitting Standards for Existing Buildings), financial tools (green loans, energy performance contracting), and user behavior guidance. These efforts aim to transform high-energy-consuming buildings into near-zero-energy structures, exemplified by Germany’s Passivhaus retrofits and China’s Northern Clean Heating Project. Future challenges involve cost-sharing mechanisms, compatibility of energy efficiency with historic preservation, and AI-driven personalized energy-saving optimization.

Gas-liquid phase change heat and mass transfer enhancement

   Gas-liquid phase change heat and mass transfer enhancement aim to significantly improve the efficiency and stability of condensation, evaporation, and boiling processes by designing micro/nano-structured surfaces (e.g., bio-inspired superhydrophobic/hydrophilic coatings, porous media), optimizing two-phase flow (e.g., bubble/droplet dynamics regulation), and coupling multi-physics interactions (thermal-fluid-mass synergy). These technologies address critical challenges such as localized overheating, energy loss, and device size limitations in high heat flux scenarios. Key applications span energy systems (heat pumps, nuclear reactor cooling), electronics thermal management (chip two-phase cooling, data center liquid cooling), chemical process intensification (distillation, membrane desalination), and aerospace thermal control (microgravity phase change cooling). Future research focuses on precise control of phase-change interface dynamics, durability optimization of materials/structures under complex operating conditions, and cross-scale design driven by smart responsive surfaces and machine learning, fostering advancements in system efficiency, compactness, and sustainability.

Advanced thermal energy storage

   Advanced thermal energy storage (TES) is a pivotal research area in energy storage, utilizing sensible heat storage (e.g., molten salt, water), latent heat storage (phase change materials, PCMs), and thermochemical heat storage (reversible chemical reactions) to achieve efficient thermal energy storage and release. Its core objectives are enhancing energy efficiency, addressing renewable energy intermittency, and supporting carbon neutrality. Sensible heat storage, with mature technology and low costs, is widely used in solar thermal power and industrial waste heat recovery. Latent heat storage, leveraging the high energy density of PCMs, excels in building energy efficiency and thermal management of electronic devices. Thermochemical storage, with ultra-high energy density and long-term lossless capabilities, is critical for high-temperature industrial processes and seasonal storage. The technology holds vast potential in renewable energy integration, industrial energy conservation, building heating/cooling, power grid peaking, and transportation thermal management. However, challenges such as material cycling stability, system heat loss, and high costs remain. Future advancements focus on innovative composite PCMs, engineering high-temperature thermochemical systems, intelligent multi-energy integration, and policy-driven large-scale deployment. As a cornerstone of flexible, low-carbon energy systems, advanced TES is poised to accelerate global energy transition and structural transformation.