Thermal load mitigation and passive cooling in residential attics containing PCM-enhanced insulations

•Attic configurations using PCM-enhanced insulation were analyzed for Southern U.S.•PCM-enhanced attic insulation assemblies reduce peak hour loads by 25–35%.•PCM-enhanced insulation may generate a reversed heat flow.•Concentrated PCM application yields a 5-h cooling peak load time shift.•Passive cooling effect of PCM systems may reach ∼25% of a total daily heat gain.