How 11 Designers Would Use the New Ultra-White Paint
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A few years ago, the scientific and academic communities celebrated the development of Vantablack, a material that could absorb up to 99.9% of visible light. Its invention held exciting implications for solar power and perhaps even space exploration, and artist Anish Kapoor covered his infamous Cloud Gate sculpture in Chicago with the substance. Now, the blackest black color has met its match in the whitest white, which was created this year by researchers at Purdue University.
The “ultra-white” paint was engineered with a very high percentage of barium sulfate, a chemical compound with particles of varying sizes that allow the paint to scatter more light. In fact, the Purdue team found the color could reflect up to 981.% of sunlight, which could have breathtakingly important real-world consequences in the battle against climate change—particularly in its ability to cool buildings without the need for air conditioning.
“Potential applications include building roofs, food storage units, warehouses, data centers, outdoor equipment, automobiles, etc.,” Purdue researcher Xiangyu Li tells House Beautiful. “[W]e also want to reduce the barrier for the general public to adopt the new paint, therefore we made the new paint compatible with existing commercial paints. The fabrication process and the overall cost are similar, and it can also be easily brushed and applied on different surfaces similar to commercial paints.”
Given that ease, the ultra-white paint may be available on the market within a few short years. We turned to interior designers, architects, and folks elsewhere in the sustainable design space to hear how they would use the product in their projects and with their clients.
Beneath Solar Panels
“The best place to put this paint would be into roofing and siding materials, so that it prevents the heat from building up on the roof and walls and radiating into the home. The other benefit of a cooler roof is that solar panels are far more efficient at lower temps, so lowering the roof temperatures will increase solar panel output significantly.”
—Marc Clejan, founder of sustainability design firm Modern NetZero
Around an Art Installation
“I can imagine using ultra-white to wash sunlight across a ceiling or reflect indirect light deep into an interior space. We’ve collaborated with artists who use bright, flat whites to refract or diffuse light around their installations, so I’d be curious to see how it enhanced or interacted with art in a gallery or museum setting. We already prefer to use very white finishes on interior walls because of how light and shadow play on these surfaces. Ultra-white could offer the opportunity to do this even more dramatically, allowing us to create a heightened sense of poetry and transformation.”
—Kevin M. Kudo-King, AIA, LEED AP, principal of architecture firm Olson Kundig
On a Roof Deck
“The albedo effect negatively impacts the earth's heat balance and climate, but when radiation is reflected rather than absorbed by materials, the reverse can happen. Highly reflective paint is no-brainer for flat roofs and roof equipment. I would love to try it on a roof deck that gets a lot of sun and see if we need sunglasses!”
—Catherine Fowlkes, principal of architecture firm Fowlkes Studio
On a Building's Exterior
"I'm from the Caribbean, and so the first thing I would do is paint so many houses! In addition to thinking about passive cooling when building, this is a great way to address that point also in a low-tech way. I might also paint all my deck floors with it so it's cooler underfoot."
—Maryline Damour, co-founder and principal designer at Damour Drake
For a Pool House
“I love the idea of using this ultra-white paint on the entire exterior of a pool house—walls, roof and trim! I can just imagine the surrounding greenery and water reflecting off of the surfaces beautifully. The white roof would also keep the interior of the pool house cool, helping reduce energy usage. Win, win!”
—Jennifer Jones, principal designer of Niche Interiors
In a Sunroom
“The new ultra-white paint would be a perfect addition to any sunroom walls, ceiling treatments, or a screened-in porch. I love to paint the backdrops of these types of spaces in tones of whites, which is a means of letting the sunlight, natural landscape, and surroundings shine through the windows that also typically fill these spaces.”
—Cara Fox, owner and lead designer of residential construction company the Fox Group
On Stucco Walls
“The new ‘ultra-white’ paint is an incredible product for us. We use a lot of white in our design, both for interior and exterior, and can see multiple uses for this paint. It could be beneficial to paint our white stucco walls with this white paint. We typically use integrated paint stucco, but painting over it won't change the design, and would give us such added value in its cooling properties.”
—Mary Maydan, founder and principal of Maydan Architects
As Part of a Brise-Soleil
“I would want to combine the ultra-white paint with a brise-soleil in a chic beach or desert house. The highly reflective surface of the paint would probably increase the effectiveness of the brise-soleil passive daylighting performance, which makes natural light bounce farther into the interior. When combining both passive strategies, you maximize your energy efficiency by reducing both the air conditioning and lighting needed during the day. It’s a win-win for the environment and your energy bill!”
—Sarah Hill, principal of Urban Pioneering Architecture
Directed Into a Stained Glass Window
"We are working on a townhouse renovation with a lightwell at the top of a mahogany stairwell. Above the stair lays a beautiful stained glass skylight, and above it is the attic. We are designing a light-box above the stained glass skylight so that the box catches all the sunlight and concentrates it into the stained glass piece and onto the stairwell. We are using this strategy to maximize the use of daylight through a dark tall space, while taking advantage of the existing conditions and details. The ultra-white paint would be an amazing option in this case."
—Ramona Albert, principal of Ramona Albert Architecture
On Metal Outdoor Furniture
“I would recommend this paint for flat roofs and metal roofs. I learned when becoming a LEED Accredited Professional, that a light-colored roof drastically reduces energy expenses in warm climates. This could also reduce the heat island effect in hot urban areas facing global warming. It would be interesting to try this paint on metal outdoor furniture, as well, leaving it cool to the touch.”
—Cameron Schwabenton, ASID, LEED AP, principal of Cameron Stewart, Ltd. Co.
To Brighten a Kitchen
"While there is no doubt this ultra white paint will do wonders for the environment—the idea that it can used to combat global warming is quite remarkable—but as a designer I’m interested in how it might be used in a decorative manner. More specifically, I’m curious as to when it will be available so I can use on my kitchen walls! Over the years I’ve painted my kitchen various shades of white, and due to a lack of natural sunlight, my kitchen always feels dark and a bit sad. I’m always looking for a miracle paint… surely this must be the one!"
—Madeline Stuart, designer principal of Madeline Stuart Associates
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