Solar-reflective paint: A promising solution for cooling overheating school buildings
With schools declaring ‘heat days’ as they struggle to cope with heatwaves, an exterior paint specialist shares how schools can cool overheating buildings to prepare for next summer
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xterior paint specialists are encouraging local authorities and independent schools to paint their buildings with solar-reflective paint.
Many schools were forced to close and declare ‘heat days’ as classroom temperatures became too high for children to concentrate.
According to a study by the Met Office and UCL, students could lose an estimated 8.2 learning days, where global surface temperatures increase by over 2 degrees above pre-industrial levels. Given current trajectories, many scientists believe this will occur.
There is no legally mandated maximum temperature in English or Welsh classrooms. The School Premises (England) Regulations 2012, which apply to maintained schools, do not specify maximum classroom temperatures for any parts of a school. Similarly, the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014, which apply to academies, do not specify a maximum classroom temperature.
Whilst decision-makers may be considering how air conditioning can help to manage dangerous temperatures, there may be one greener and more cost-effective solution to keeping school buildings cool.
Jack Reading from Emperor Paint has shared the limitations of air conditioning and how solar-reflective paint can help to prepare schools facing extreme summer weather for decades to come.
The drawbacks of air conditioning
“As UK summers get hotter, many school buildings are struggling to stay cool. The knock-on effect is that decision-makers may be looking to keep teachers and students cooler with air conditioning, rather than directly taking action to reduce how much heat school buildings absorb. Air conditioning units are expensive to run, with a multi-split or ducted system costing between £0.26- £1.31 per hour. They can dry out the air and can have a negative environmental impact. Portable air conditioning comes with its own set of problems, including only cooling a relatively small area, taking up floor space, and requiring venting to avoid a buildup of moisture.”
The smarter way to keep school buildings cool
“Applied to the exterior of a school building, masonry paint that has solar reflective properties can keep classrooms cooler during the day,” says Jack Reading.
Now is the time to consider what upgrades could be made to avoid the need to rely on air conditioning
“Most masonry paints will reflect a bit of sunlight, but some masonry paints, especially in lighter colours like white, can reflect far more. Emperor Masonry Paint uses higher levels of titanium dioxide as part of a premium formulation, which helps reflect more of the sun’s energy away from the surface and keeps wall temperatures lower in hot weather. During independent testing, it was found to have a Solar Reflectance Index value of 86%, a level seen in specialist high-reflectance coatings.”
Preparation for the long-term
“With hot weather increasingly testing school buildings that were designed for a past climate, now is the time to consider what upgrades could be made to avoid the need to rely on air conditioning or a shifting school calendar.”
Autumn 2026 issue 4185
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