Numerical Investigation of Ground Cooling Potential for Malaysian Climate

In equatorial countries like Malaysia, the cooling of buildings is almost entirely dependent on air-conditioning, with electricity as the main source of the energy required. As the country develops, with more buildings being built, and as the population grows, with more people demanding thermal comfort in the buildings they work and live in, the rate of electricity consumption for cooling purposes will continue to increase dramatically from year to year. This phenomenon requires the application of alternative energy options and thermal storage. Ground thermal storage is an example of thermal storage which can supply cooling and heating effects resulting in a significant reduction of electricity consumption. This paper discusses the potential of the implementation of ground thermal storage by using a ground heat exchanger (GHE) to supply passive cooling for any application.