In collaboration with Monopol Colors, UNStudio developed the world’s coolest white, an ultra-durable paint that protects buildings and urban structures from excessive solar radiation – thus slowing down the urban heat island effect.

55 per cent of the current world population lives in urban areas, which is expected to increase to 68 per cent by 2050. Because urban areas often consist of dark, hard materials, like concrete and brick, and green areas are lacking, new problems occur, such as the so-called urban heat island effect.

The colour white reflects light and heat, rather than absorbing it. By painting buildings and infrastructure white, much heat is reflected, cooling down the city. The city of Los Angeles already used this concept by painting its roads white.

With the so-called Coolest White, UNStudio and Monopol Color go a step further. The coating system has a high total solar reflectance. The coating is based on fluoropolymer technology and is designed to be long lasting. The ultra-durable properties of the paint prolong its lifecycle up to 30 years. The coating is multilayered and developed for high-quality metallic façade elements and aluminium, steel or fibreglass structures. It has a much better abrasion resistance than polyester coatings.

Image: UNStudio / Monopol Color