House paints have evolved beyond their traditional role, offering innovative features such as cooling properties, thermal insulation, and removability. However, some of these claims may be exaggerated or unverified, highlighting the need for scientific evaluation before making a decision.
Introduction
House paints have come a long way from their traditional role, and recent innovations have led to the development of paints that promise much more than just a fresh coat of colour. From paints that keep your house cool to thermal paints and removable paints, there are many exciting new developments in this field.
Paints That Keep Your House Cool
Researchers have been working on improving the reflectivity of paint on exterior walls or roofs to help keep buildings cool on hot, sunny days. This is becoming increasingly important due to climate change, which is causing more frequent and severe heatwaves. The principle behind this technology is not new – consider the white painted houses of the Mediterranean, which have been keeping homes cool for centuries.
However, paints designed to be significantly more reflective than standard white paint could heighten the effect. i2Cool in Hong Kong is one such company that has developed a highly-reflective paint inspired by the extremely reflective body of the Saharan silver ant. The paint contains tiny nanoparticles and was tested on the roof of a shopping mall in Hong Kong, where it resulted in a 40% reduction in energy consumption.
Thermal Paints: Do They Really Work?
In 2019, researchers from the University of Salford published a paper investigating the efficacy of six thermal paints available on the UK market at the time. The study found that claims that such paints could reduce heating bills by up to 20% or 25% were impossible to validate. The biggest cost saving measured was a mere 2.9%, and homeowners would potentially have to wait centuries or even up to a millennium before they would recoup the decorating fees in terms of reduced heating costs.
Thermglasst: A New Insulating Paint
Glasst, an innovation company founded by Juan Botero, is working on a new insulating paint called Thermglasst. This paint claims to provide the same insulating effect as 40 millimetres of foam with just less than a millimetre of coating. However, there is no independent validation of this claim yet.
Unpaint: A Removable Paint
Glasst has also developed a new product called Unpaint, which is a removable paint that can be peeled off like plastic wrap once dry. This paint was inspired by Mr Botero’s desire for customisation in his life. The idea behind Unpaint is to provide homeowners with the ability to easily change the colour of their door or wall without having to worry about damaging the surface.
Conclusion
While some house paints promise more than just a change in colour, it is essential to approach these claims with caution and consider the scientific evaluations before making a decision.
