A Japanese company called Asahipen developed a special kind of paint that is capable of blocking sunlight in order to keep room temperatures low.

Aimed specifically at the market for residential housing, the so-called Shinatsu (heat shield) paint [JP] is about 30% more expensive than standard paint in Japan, costing $100 per 5-liter can. Asahipen sells 8 different colors you can paint the roof [JP] with: black, sky blue, ocean blue, green, red, brown and two variations of grey. Using the paint for the veranda or rooftop [JP] is possible as well (in dark green, light green and grey).

The Shinatsu paint contains a special pigment that makes it capable to reflect sun rays. Asahipen claims temperatures on roofs and rooftops can reach between 50 and 80°C in midsummer. They say their roof paint can cut these temperatures by up to 15°C, resulting in lower costs for air conditioning and consequently lower carbon dioxide emissions.

The Shinatsu paint is Japan-only at this point. But judging from their extensive English web site, Asahipen seems to be a rather internationalized company so their invention might find its way outside Japan as well.