IR pigment technology is the key to successful cool building products

Paint & Coatings ‘Cool Roof’ Conference in Milan on October 8, 2025

The event focused on formulations and technologies, including IR pigment technology, for reflective and waterproof coatings, with the goal of promoting high energy efficiency solutions for urban, residential, and commercial construction. The concept of passive radiative cooling was a key topic, presented as a concrete strategy for sustainable thermal management in buildings and the mitigation of urban heat islands.

During the conference, 14 speakers from international companies and universities presented innovations in the areas of:

• IR pigment technology and functional binders
• Additives for advanced coatings
• Application technologies and real-world performance

The conference was addressed to formulators, technologists, raw material producers, designers, energy managers, and construction professionals interested in sustainable and practical solutions for the future of the built environment.

Mark Ryan, Shepherd Color’s Product & Market Manager, presented on Arctic, an IR pigment technology and how these pigments can help keep building products cooler.

You can find his presentation below:

The Shepherd Color Company’s Arctic® infrared (IR) reflective pigments have been used for decades in cool roofing applications. This technology is finding use in other areas of cityscapes. Walls and horizontal surfaces like parking structures and roads are being eyed as ways to reduce the energy absorbed and the heat present in urban areas. These spaces absorb and trap heat during summer days and create urban heat islands (UHIs). The higher temperatures contribute to reduced air quality, increased energy needed to cool buildings, and overall reduced quality of life and sustainability.

The basic physics are the same as for cool roofs. Only half of the sun’s spectrum is visible to the human eye. A few percent is in the damaging ultraviolet (UV) wavelengths, but roughly half of the sun’s energy is in the invisible IR range. Shepherd Color’s Arctic infrared reflective pigments excel in selectively absorbing visible wavelengths for color, while reflecting and rejecting the invisible IR wavelengths. This allows darker colors to behave thermally like middle gray colors. White will always be the most reflective and coolest color. However, the stark white color can cause issues with ergonomics and aesthetics.

Learn more about Arctic technology here.