The research team overcame this hurdle by taking biomimetic inspiration from the microscopic structure of human skin wrinkles. By assigning various functional fillers to work collaboratively, they achieved both high reflection and emission within a much thinner layer.

This design reportedly reduces the coating’s thickness from 500 micrometres to 100 micrometres – thinner than a standard sheet of A4 paper – while driving both solar reflectance and infrared emissivity up to 97 per cent.

The coating is also exceptionally durable. During its 180-day on-site trial in Hainan, it endured 40,000 scrub tests without the paint film blistering or peeling. Based on this ageing rate, developers estimate its effective lifespan at up to 15 years.

The project is an example of scientific research bridging the gap to industrial application.

Wang Fuqiang of HIT developed the foundational coating during his academic research. However, after publishing his findings, the project was largely shelved – until Wang crossed paths with the state construction corporation, which had been hunting for exactly this type of advanced cooling solution.

The two parties then joined forces to drive the technology towards commercialisation.

Starting with laboratory samples, they spent several years on testing, optimisation and validation. Ultimately, they forged a manufacturing process capable of stable, large-scale production without compromising the material’s optical performance.

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But I wonder whether it is really significantly better than currently used paints...