With the intention of helping to curb global warming, researchers at Purdue University in Indiana have created the whitest paint yet. Their research indicates that coating buildings with this paint may help to cool them and reduce the need for air conditioning.
They've created an ultra-white white and the researchers believe that this white may be the closest equivalent of the blackest black, Vantablack, which absorbs up to 99.9% of visible light. The new whitest paint reflects up to 98.1% of sunlight.
Find out more about the new whitest white from Purdue University via this link.
Resene Paints New Zealand have developed ‘CoolColour’ technology, which absorbs visible light so the paint color looks like normal while also reflecting energy in the near and far infrared region, which reduces heat build-up. This means a Resene ‘CoolColour’ will look like a standard color but surface heat will build-up slower and to a significantly lower level than a ‘not so cool’ traditional paint color.
Visible light makes up about 50% of the total energy emitted by the sun with another 45% in the infrared range of the spectrum. Resene Paints have 100s of ‘CoolColour’ paint colors and many of these are darker colors and tones.
Find out more about Resene Paints ‘CoolColour’ paints via this link.
About the author - Dr Zena O’Connor established Design Research Associates in 2006 and has focussed on evidence-based color strategies, insight, and recommendations for applied design and the built environment. Zena has completed numerous color design projects across commercial, residential and the healthcare and aged care sectors. A designer by training, Zena’s PhD research (Faculty of Architecture, Design & Planning, University of Sydney) investigated color in the built environment. She has developed and taught courses at university (Sydney University and the University of NSW) and published 70+ peer-reviewed academic articles on color in applied design and the built environment. zenaoconnor.com