Staying cool without an air conditioner

Material found to reflect about 96% of solar irradiation under noon-time conditions, yielding greater than 100 Watts/meter2 radiative cooling power.
Researchers Ronggui Yang and Xiaobo Yin show their plastic film capable of cooling buildings without using refrigerants. Credit: Glenn Asakawa/University of Colorado Boulder)
Under the intense heat of a midday sun, a newly developed film can dissipate the sun’s thermal energy in the form of infrared radiation, resulting in a cooling effec