Spotlight on a student: Seyedmostafa Mousavi
Cool ideas for reducing energy use in buildings
As the world gets hotter, more people are switching on the air conditioning to stay comfortable indoors. But current air conditioners are energy-intensive, put strain on our energy systems and increase greenhouse gas emissions, further contributing to climate change.
PhD student Seyedmostafa Mousavi, or Mostafa to his friends and colleagues, is wrapping up his thesis on some innovative and effective new materials that could change the way we cool buildings. Together with an industry partner, he has developed thermally activated cooling panels that can absorb heat from indoor spaces, reducing the need for powered cooling during peak electricity hours.
We asked Mostafa to tell us more about his cool ideas, how he has tested them, and where he plans to take them next.
In simple terms, can you tell us what your research is about?
My research is all about taking an innovative approach to space-cooling.
The past seven years have been the hottest on record. For indoor environments, a warming world has meant hotter rooms, and increased demand for air-conditioning to improve comfort. From 2020 to 2021, the number of air conditioning units in use globally rose from 1.6 billion to 2.2 billion. This has meant increased energy consumption in buildings, higher CO2 emissions, and strain on our electricity infrastructure.
We need to shift towards more energy-efficient air-conditioning technologies that can meet the growing demand for space cooling and improve the comfort of indoor environments more sustainably.
Can you explain more, in technical terms?
I’m working with an industry partner, Invaus Pty Ltd, to develop and evaluate thermally activated radiant cooling panels to be used in buildings.
These panels are made of light-weight phase change material (PCM) composite boards that can store large amounts of thermal energy. The PCM functions as a thermal battery, which is actively charged by circulating chilled water overnight during off-peak electricity hours, and discharged during the day, during peak electricity hours, by absorbing heat from indoors to cool them down.
To study the performance of this technology, I have been using a combination of experimental and simulation-based approaches. For the experimental work, I have access to a full-scale cabin equipped with the cooling panels. I use a range of Internet of Things (IoT) devices, sensors, and controllers to monitor the system performance under different conditions. I also developed a Power BI monitoring dashboard that allows us to remotely monitor and control the system operation in real time.
In addition to the experimental work, I have created a validated simulation model that provides us with greater flexibility to evaluate the technology’s design and operation under different conditions. This simulation model includes a detailed representation of the thermally activated radiant cooling panels and their interactions with the indoor environment, allowing us to gain a deeper understanding of the technology's performance.
So far, we’ve found that compared to traditional air-conditioning systems, this technology offers many benefits, such as lower energy consumption, improved indoor air quality, and peak load shifting, resulting in more efficient space cooling with greater demand-side flexibility.
What’s the bigger picture? How will your work contribute to the transition to a clean energy system?
Buildings are a major source of energy consumption and CO2 emissions, accounting for roughly a third of the global total, and the increasing demand for space cooling is making this issue worse.
The thermally activated radiant cooling panels that I have been working on can significantly improve the energy efficiency of space cooling and provide more demand-side flexibility.
I can say that my work is contributing to the transition to a more sustainable space-cooling technology with lower energy consumption, and that the energy savings and load-shifting opportunities provided by this technology can support the integration of renewable energy sources into buildings, and promote the adoption of sustainable energy practices more broadly.
What did you study to get here, and what do you plan to do next?
I completed a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, with a focus on energy conversion, renewable energy, and building energy efficiency.
With my experience in complex energy system modelling, energy management, sustainable design, and energy project feasibility (technical, financial and environmental), I have always aimed to make a meaningful impact towards the transition to a cleaner and more sustainable energy future. After completing my PhD, I will be joining the WSP sustainability team in Melbourne, where I will continue to grow my professional expertise.
Have you received any honours or awards for your work so far, and can you point us to any recent publications?
I was awarded the 1st rank student prize in Mechanical Engineering for both my Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in 2013 and 2015, respectively. In 2016, I was recognised as a member of Iran’s National Elites Foundation (INEF). I’m also a recipient of the prestigious Melbourne Research Scholarship (MRS), which supported me to pursue my PhD at the University of Melbourne. In 2021, at the 8th International Conference on Energy and Environment Research (ICEER 2021), I received both the Best Paper Award and the Best Oral Presentation Award in the Building and Energy category.
You can find more information about my research below (with more publications coming soon):
- PCM embedded radiant chilled ceiling: A state-of-the-art review
- Lessons learned from PCM embedded radiant chilled ceiling experiments in Melbourne
- Development and validation of a transient simulation model of a full-scale PCM embedded radiant chilled ceiling
- Thermal and energy performance evaluation of a full-scale test cabin equipped with PCM embedded radiant chilled ceiling
Further information
Mostafa is happy to discuss more about his research into space cooling technologies. He can be contacted at sm.mousavi@unimelb.edu.au, or news and updates can be found on the research group’s website.