Scientists create world’s whitest paint that could cool buildings naturally

Keeping buildings cool has become an increasingly difficult challenge as temperatures rise and air conditioning demand continues to grow. While cooling systems provide comfort, they also consume large amounts of electricity, adding to energy costs and greenhouse gas emissions. That has encouraged scientists to look for alternatives that work with nature rather than against it. One promising approach is to prevent buildings from heating up in the first place by reflecting as much sunlight as possible.A team of engineers at Purdue University believes it has taken a significant step in that direction after developing an exceptionally reflective white paint designed to cool surfaces naturally, even under direct sunlight.How the world's whitest paint reduces heat build-upThe new coating was created to bounce away nearly all of the Sun's incoming energy instead of allowing it to be absorbed by roofs and walls. Reportedly, laboratory measurements showed that the paint reflects around 98.1% of sunlight, placing it beyond the performance of conventional white exterior paints and even ahead of the team's earlier experimental version.That difference may appear small at first glance, but when ...