To increase the mechanical strength and thermal energy storage/release efficiency, fine steel fibers and graphite-modified shape stabilized phase change materials (GM-SSPCM) were added into sulphoaluminate cement mortar. Paraffin, low density polyethylene and flake graphite were heating mixed to produce GM-SSPCM. Fine steel fibers were used to reinforce sulphoaluminate cement-based thermal energy storage composite (STESC) for improving mechanical strength and thermal conductivity. The thermophysical and microstructure of GM-SSPCM, and the thermal and mechanical properties of steel fiber reinforced sulphoaluminate cement-based thermal energy storage composite (SF-STESC) were investigated. The results indicated that about 50% paraffin could be effectively encapsulated in GM-SSPCM with multi-level space network structure. And, the steel fiber can increase the mechanical and thermal properties of SF-STESC. When a 3.5 vol% steel fiber was added, the 28-day compressive strength and flexural strength of the SF-STESC were increased by 7.3% and 40.6%, also the compressive/flexural strength ratio was decreased by 21.6%. The three-dimensional reinforcement of steel fibers reduced the volume shrinkage of the composites. In addition, the thermal conductivity of SF-STESC increases with the increase in volume fraction of the steel fibers. When the steel fiber volume fraction increases from 0 to 3.5%, the thermal conductivity of SF-STESC is increased by 51.3% while the inner paraffin is in solid state and 84.5% while the inner paraffin is in liquid state. The results of thermal energy storage/release performance tested using a self-designed setup showed that the steel fiber reinforced STESC leads to a high thermal energy storage/release rate. (C) 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.