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Efforts from both spatial and energy engineers were conceived in order to reduce the total running costs of electric consumption in buildings. An often-overlooked energy and money saving opportunity for the built environment lies in lighting. This study investigates the effect of room interior finish on electrical lighting energy consumption. Walls, ceiling, and floor finish, in accordance to light reflectance values, were taken at low reflectance model (LRM), medium reflectance model (MRM), and high reflectance model (HRM). Various occupied spaces were classified in accordance to physical dimensions and capacity in order to cover a wide range of space usage and standard illuminance requirements. It was found that the HRM reduced power consumption in lighting by about 40.62 % compared to the LRM in the case for medium museum halls, with energy saved rating at about 2.32 GWh annually; other occupied spaces show a saving potential between 22.00 % and 40.00 %.

Despite their great significance, lightweight structures have poor thermal inertia. In order to enhance the thermal comfort inside such buildings, architects need lightweight thermal storage. In this paper a model was used to experimentally investigate Heating Load profiles in lightweight shelters. The profiles were created for the climate in Jordan, then simulated for other climate zones. The proposed design concept was used to create a replacement for a thermal mass in lightweight structures such as shelters; by combining passive solar gain with energy storage embodied within the shelter floor (thermal-floor) to absorb solar radiation. This shelter design decreased the Heating Load during the winter season by acting as heat storage that releases energy at night time after being exposed to solar radiation during the day. The passive design depends on shading elements and overhangs shades to control solar gain during different seasons to prevent overheating during the summer. An experimental investigation of this model was performed to validate the simulation results. Validated simulation results showed that the designed thermal-floor is 25 % of the total shelter’s floor area, which was crucial for obtaining favourable results. With CO2 as a thermal mass, heat load was reduced up to 68 % compared to a 20 cm concrete slab floor. The use of this thermal storage material yielded a reduction in annual heating demand by 85 kWh/m2.

A theoretical analysis based on mathematical formulations and experimental test to a photovoltaic system cooled by Phase Change Material (PCM) is carried out and documented. The PCM is attached to the back of the PV panel to control the temperature of cells in the PV panel. The experimental tests were done to solar systems with and without using PCM for comparison purposes. A PCM of paraffin graphite panels of thickness15 mm has covered the back of the panel. This layer was covered with an aluminum sheet fixed tightly to the panel frame. In the experimental test, it was found that when the average cell temperature exceeds the melting point temperature of the PCM, the efficiency of the system increases. However, when the cell temperature did not exceed the melting temperature of the PCM, the use of the PCM will affect negatively the system efficiency.