Sharing of renewable energy and reduction of conventional energy consumption as an attempt to ameliorate environmental issues such as global warming has become the main concern for current developing scientific engineering research. Moreover, with the drastic increase in cooling and heating requirements in the building sector worldwide, the need for suitable technology that enables improvement in thermal performance of buildings is addressed. Utilizing phase change materials (PCMs) for thermal energy storage strategies in buildings can meet the potential thermal comfort requirements when selected properly. The current research article presents an overview of different PCM cooling applications in buildings. The reviewed applications are classified into active and passive systems. A summary of the used PCMs and their respective properties are presented as well. Primary results of the studied systems are demonstrated to be efficient in reducing indoor temperature fluctuations and energy demand during cold seasons along with the capability of triggering load reduction or shifting. Highlights  A state-of-the-art review on cooling applications of PCM in buildings  Cooling PCM applications are classified as active and passive systems  PCM serves as a promising technology for energy-efficient buildings  Combining active and passive systems can be a potential step toward NZEB

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