New white paint can cool houses more than air conditioning - study
Temperatures in Israel have, in the past, reached between 32 to 42 degrees Celsius multiple times since mid-April
By JERUSALEM POST STAFFItalian tourists walk in the Mesquite Dunes during heat wave in Death Valley National Park, California(photo credit: STEVE MARCUS/REUTERS)
A new type of the color white, said to be the whitest white color ever created, can be used to cool houses to reduce the need for air conditioning, according a new study published by Purdue University.This new white paint can reflect 98.1% of sunlight, a rise from the previous record of 95.5%, which allows it to send infrared heat away from the surface it is coating.To measure how well the color helps cool down its environment, they used thermocouples – a high accuracy temperature reading device, which found that the surface with the paint was about seven degrees Celsius colder than its surroundings during the night, and about three degrees colder during strong sunlight hours.Temperatures in Israel have, in the past, reached between 32 to 42 degrees' Celsius multiple times since mid-April.In Israel, the beginning of the hot season is typically marked by strong east winds. Temperatures are expected to drop two degrees by midweek and then rise.The elderly and other at-risk populations should avoid direct sun and heat exposure, avoid unnecessary physical exertion, drink water and stay in the shade, the Health Ministry said.
