Could new “sweating” paint help alleviate the world’s AC dependency?

Scientists in Singapore, which often ranks as one of the most humid cities in the world, have developed a new cooling paint that works by reflecting sunlight and slowly releasing water, in a similar way to how the body produces sweat, per reporting from Science News. 

Outstripping

That “sweating” element is what sets the new paint apart, ensuring that the product can be applied in more humid climes, unlike other paints that rely on the more traditional radiative method. While some cities have coated external walls and roofs with cooling paint for years — more than 10 million square feet of rooftops have been daubed with reflective paint since 2009 — the breakthrough from Singapore could reduce the world’s dependence on air conditioning, which accounts for a whopping ~7% of total electricity consumption, according to Our World In Data.