It was only a matter of time before engineers figured out a way to get rid of air conditioners. The idea that a simple paint could replace modern air-conditioning sounds nuts, but researchers at Purdue University say it could become a reality thanks to a cool new "radiative cooling paint" they've developed.
The revolutionary white paint can reportedly keep surfaces up to 18 degrees Fahrenheit cooler than their ambient temperature, by absorbing almost no solar energy and actually sending heat away from the surface it is covering. It's kind of like turning basically any space into a refrigerator, only without the energy cost.
According to researchers, commercially available white paint can reflect just 80%-90% of sunlight and cannot achieve temperatures below their surroundings, while this new reflective white paint reflects 95.5% sunlight and radiates infrared heat much more efficiently. Joseph Peoples, a Purdue Ph.D. student explains, "Your air conditioning kicks on mainly due to sunlight heating up the roof and walls and making the inside of your house feel warmer. This paint is basically creating free air conditioning by reflecting that sunlight and offsetting those heat gains from inside your house."
