1. The Institutional Challenge: Mitigating Nighttime Heat Loss
A high school in New Hampshire, situated in a cold, heating-season dominant climate, faced the constant challenge of high overnight heating costs required to maintain comfortable classroom temperatures. The institutional goal was to find an innovative, passive solution to capture excess heat generated during occupied hours and recycle it to reduce the demand on the HVAC system during the coldest nighttime hours.
2. The Clima Solutions Model: Active Thermal Buffering
This project serves as a clear validation of the core principle behind Clima Solutions' Active Thermal Systems—the ability of Phase Change Material (PCM) to turn passive surfaces into intelligent energy storage units.
The technology utilized here involved PCM ceiling panels, which were deployed as follows:
Application: PCM ceiling tiles were installed in two classrooms, while two neighboring classrooms were left untreated to serve as a baseline comparison.
Mechanism: The panels were designed to store excess heat generated by students and internal systems during the day. This stored heat was then released at night, actively helping to keep the building warmer during the coldest hours.
3. Measurable Performance & Strategic Insight
The study successfully isolated the performance impact of the PCM panels, providing clear data on the benefits of thermal buffering in cold climates.
Heating Energy Reduction: After controlling for variables like outdoor air temperature, the study estimated a 5-9% reduction in nighttime heating energy achieved through the PCM integration.
Verifiable Efficiency: After the PCM panels were installed in one classroom (Room 120), that room consistently used less heating energy overnight compared to its neighboring, untreated classroom.
The Power of Heat Recycling: The results demonstrated a clear pathway to recycling internal heat loads—a crucial component of Energy Intelligence—to passively offset external heat loss and reduce the operational demand and costs associated with conventional HVAC systems.
4. Conclusion: Interiors That Work Harder in Every Climate
The Winnacunnet High School project confirms that the principle of Active Thermal Systems provides measurable benefits far beyond cooling load reduction.
Year-Round Value: This case proves the versatility of the technology, demonstrating that the ability to store and release thermal energy delivers significant financial and energy savings in both hot (by buffering solar gain) and cold (by recycling internal heat) climates.
The Clima Solutions Difference: By turning ceilings into energy reservoirs, Clima Solutions enables institutional and commercial clients to create high-performance environments that are not only comfortable for occupants but are also dramatically more efficient and climate-responsible.
