Methods, apparatus, and compositions for storing heat for the heating and cooling of buildings

A building element adapted to inhibit the change of the interior temperature of a building beyond prescribed temperature limits approximating room temperature, said element comprising:

• a concrete block having at least 40% interconnected pores in thermal communication with the building interior;
• a store of phase change material impregnating the concrete block and having a melting point within said temperature limits so that said material melts when the interior temperature of the building exceeds the temperature limits to absorb heat and reduce the interior temperature of the building until the store of material is entirely melted, and conversely said material freezes when the interior temperature of the building falls below the temperature limits to release heat and increase the interior temperature until the store of material is entirely frozen;
• and
• a layer of sealing material circumscribing the concrete block to seal the store of material therein so that said material undergoes repeated changes in phase between liquid and solid to maintain the interior temperature of the building within the prescribed limits.

A building element adapted to inhibit the change of the interior temperature of a building beyond prescribed temperature limits approximating room temperature, said element comprising:

• a concrete wall in thermal communication with the building interior;
• a store of phase change material impregnating the concrete wall and having a melting point within said temperature limits so that said material melts when the interior temperature of the building exceeds the temperature limits to absorb heat and reduce the interior temperature of the building until the store of material is entirely melted, and conversely said material freezes when the interior temperature of the building falls below the temperature limits to release heat and increase the interior temperature until the store of material is entirely frozen;
• and
• a quantity of sealing material impregnating the concrete wall to seal the store of material therein so that said material undergoes repeated changes in phase between liquid and solid to maintain the interior temperature of the building within the prescribed limits.

A method for constructing a building material adapted to maintain the temperature within the building between selected temperature limits approximating room temperature, said method comprising the steps of:

• admixing cement, sand, sealing material, water, and a phase change material having a melting point within the selected temperature limits, which phase change material undergoes reversible freeze-thaw cyclical changes when subjected to appropriate temperatures above or below said selected temperature limits;
• pouring the admixture into a mold;
• and
• causing the molded admixture to form a rigid structural material in which the phase change material is suspended and sealed in a matrix formed from the other components of the admixture.