14 DAY TRIAL // About three years ago, while working on testing the electrical properties of various materials, scientists employed at the Oregon State University came across a new compound which apparently is very efficient in reflecting heat.
Therefore, they believe they can find a way to use this uncanny blue pigment to heat-proof building roofs and walls, which means that the need for air-conditioning in those parts of the world where extremely high temperatures are most often recorded can be considerably diminished.
No need to explain that cutting down on air conditioner usage will also help save energy, and thus also prove beneficial for the environment.
As sciencedaily.com informs us, Mas Subramanian, a chemistry professor who actively participated in the discovery of this compound, explains that: "This pigment has infrared heat reflectivity of about 40 percent, which is significantly higher than most blue pigments now being used."
Experts argue that, although most dark pigments tend to absorb heat rather than reflect it, this particular material has the ability to act like a barrier against the infrared spectrum held responsible for the highest amounts of heat we typically get from sunlight.
Unlike past similar compounds, the aforementioned blue pigment doesn't seem to display any drawbacks such as being quick to decay, toxic, expensive or a threat to public health.
As professor Subramanian lets us know: “We already knew it had advantages of being more durable, safe and fairly easy to produce. Now it also appears to be a new candidate for energy efficiency."
Seeing how this material only recently received its patent approval, it might take a while before contractors around the world actually start using it in their building projects.
However, it seems to us that it is only a matter of time before this heat-reflecting blue pigment will literally make its way into our homes, and that its use is sure to diminish the strain put on our air-conditioning by long and extremely hot summers.