With everything under the sun being labeled “smart” these days, it follows that smart roofs are in our near future. A smart roof coating made from waste cooking oil from fast food restaurants (minus the smell, of course) is being processed into a liquid polymer that hardens like plastic. When applied to roofing material, the coating switches roles from reflecting to transmitting heat by reading a thermometer. The coating can be adjusted to the location of the home. It is both nontoxic and nonflammable and can be applied to any roof type. It will last for many years and can be reapplied.
credit: Ben Wen, Ph.D.
more info:
ACS Press Release