AI has designed colors that keep buildings up to 20°C cooler
Researchers from several universities (the University of Texas, Shanghai Jiao Tong, the National University of Singapore, and Umeå University in Sweden) have used artificial intelligence to develop new coatings that significantly reduce the temperature of surfaces exposed to sunlight. These paints can keep the temperature of buildings in the midday sun 5 to 20°C lower than conventional paints.
The algorithms designed the paint components based on simulations of solar radiation reflection and infrared heat emission, significantly increasing the cooling capacity of surfaces. The result is paints with high solar reflectance (up to 98%) and high-quality heat emission into the environment. Thanks to these innovations, the roofs of four-story buildings in hot cities such as Rio de Janeiro or Bangkok can save over 15,800 kWh per year. If the technology were applied to 1,000 such buildings, it would result in energy savings equivalent to the operation of more than 10,000 air conditioning units throughout the year.
This approach is a practical example of passive diurnal radiative cooling (PDRC), which minimizes the heat load on cities and can significantly reduce energy consumption and emissions.
According to experts, AI can accelerate the development of such materials many times over—in the past, experiments took months, but now it only takes days to achieve the ideal coating composition.
Thanks to these coatings, community and city plans can mitigate the so-called urban heat island effect – a situation where cities suffer from extreme temperatures during heat waves due to dark roofs, streets, and limited greenery. Reflective colors and surfaces are therefore recommended as part of a comprehensive urban cooling strategy.
Photo source: www.pexels.com
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