Rigorous testing of our product has been a priority since the first prototype, with both the University of Leeds and the University of Utah testing how efficiently Pirta technology cools a structure at each step along the way.

Reflectivity is a measure of how well heat and light bounce off of a surface, compared to how much is absorbed by that surface. The most reflective surfaces, such as a solid sheet of gold or aluminium, might reflect over 95% of the heat and light to which it is exposed. Pirta paint, our initial product, has an average reflectance of 99.17% in both ultraviolet and visible light.

There are reasons, besides cost, why buildings are not routinely wrapped in gold and one of them is that any heat inside would be unable to escape.

Emissivity is a measure of how well an object can release heat by radiation. Whereas a reflective surface pushes heat away, an emissive surface is able to give off its own heat. The most emissive surfaces are found in nature, such as water or skin, and might have emissivity scores that approach 100%, meaning much of that object’s heat can be emitted away from itself.

Pirta paint has an average emissivity score of 99.7% (259 nm-2,500 nm), so as it absorbs the heat from within a structure, that heat can be released to the outside.

As Pirta continues to develop innovative passive cooling products, we maintain a high standard of reflectivity and emissivity to allow for maximum cooling benefit in a variety of settings. Cooling isn’t our only priority, however. Our products are designed with environmental responsibility and affordability in mind so that we can spread the benefits of passive cooling around the world.