High reflectivity
Maximize solar reflectance across the full solar spectrum.
[ Passive Daytime Radiative Cooling ]
Laboratory DevelopmentPassive cooling.Engineered into every brushstroke.
MEER's Passive Daytime Radiative Cooling (PDRC) paint is currently under development through our materials science research program in China. Laboratory optimization continues alongside durability and performance testing, with the goal of developing a coating that combines exceptional solar reflectivity, genuine durability and affordability.
[ Development objectives ]
Five requirements the coating has to meet at once.
Genuine durability
Maintain performance under UV exposure, dust, rainfall and thermal cycling.
Affordability
Use widely available raw materials and simple processing.
Easy application
Compatible with brush, roller and low-pressure spray.
Globally accessible
Suitable for deployment across both the Global South and the Global North alike.
[ The science ]
Passive daytime radiative cooling, in plain terms.
A surface in sunlight gains energy from the sun and loses energy by radiating heat back out. A passive daytime radiative cooling surface is engineered to do two things at the same time: reflect almost all incoming sunlight, and emit strongly in the mid-infrared — particularly in the 8–13 µm “atmospheric window” where thermal radiation escapes to cold space.
When the outgoing radiation exceeds the absorbed sunlight, the surface cools without electricity, refrigerant or moving parts. It works in daylight, and it keeps working as long as the sky is open.
At planetary scale, brightening surfaces also raises albedo — the fraction of sunlight Earth returns to space — which is the mechanism at the heart of MEER's mission.
[ How the paint works ]
Three steps, no moving parts.
1 · Reflect
Engineered particle sizes and refractive index contrast scatter visible and near-infrared sunlight before it can be absorbed.
2 · Emit
The binder and fillers are selected to radiate strongly in the mid-infrared, sending heat through the atmospheric window.
3 · Cool
Net energy leaves the surface. Roof and interior temperatures fall without electricity, refrigerant or maintenance.
Cross-section animation of the coating layer — in production
[ Current research ]
A research-driven product program.
Formulations are iterated and characterized at our laboratory in China for optical and thermal performance, with durability and weathering testing running in parallel. Research and product development advance together — each cycle informs the next formulation.
The objective is a coating that combines high reflectivity, real-world durability and low manufacturing cost, because a cooling coating that only wealthy buyers can afford will not solve the problem we exist to solve.
No batch leaves the lab as a product; it leaves as evidence.
Laboratory photography — to be added
[ Lab workflow ]
Iterative development cycle
- Formulation
- Characterization
- Reflectance test
- Weathering
- Data review
Please note
A coating still in development
PDRC paint is an active research and product development program. Formulations are iterated in the laboratory and tested for optical performance, durability and weathering in parallel.
Performance figures will be published only after independent field validation.
[ Future applications ]
Where a low-cost coating could matter most.
These are intended deployment environments, not commercial claims. Each will require instrumented field validation before it is described as proven.
Homes
Low-cost roofs and walls in hot, energy-poor communities.
Schools & clinics
Cooler public buildings without air conditioning.
Storage & logistics
Warehouses, cold chain sheds and grain stores.
Industrial roofs
Large low-slope surfaces with high solar exposure.
[ Research roadmap ]
From formulation to independent validation.
- Phase 01
Formulation screening
Candidate pigments, binders and fillers screened for reflectance and emissivity.
Underway - Phase 02
Durability & weathering
Accelerated UV, humidity, abrasion and thermal cycling on shortlisted formulations.
Underway - Phase 03
Application trials
Brush, roller and low-pressure spray application on representative substrates.
Next - Phase 04
Instrumented field trials
Roof-scale deployments with surface and indoor temperature monitoring.
Planned - Phase 05
Independent validation
Third-party measurement of reflectance, emissivity and delivered cooling.
Planned
[ Frequently asked questions ]
Straight answers about a coating still in development.
Ordinary white paint is designed to look white to the human eye. A PDRC coating is engineered across the whole solar spectrum, including the near-infrared where roughly half of the sun's energy arrives, and is also tuned to emit strongly in the mid-infrared so heat can escape to space.
[ Related ]
Related MEER technologies
[ Join the research ]
Help us bring a cooling coating within reach of everyone.
MEER works with laboratories, manufacturers and field partners to develop, test and validate passive cooling materials.