Heat-Reflective Coatings Address Classroom Comfort in Extreme Summers
Climate Response
As India prepares for one of its harshest summers in recent years, with temperatures in several regions projected to touch nearly 50ยฐC, the impact of extreme heat is becoming impossible to ignore. Responding to this growing crisis, Berger Paints India Ltd., the countryโs second-largest paint company and a leader in protective coatings, is sharpening its focus on its Kool range. For architects, facility planners, and school administrators, this innovative portfolio of heat-reflective coatings is designed to reduce heat absorption and improve indoor comfort. Meanwhile, the company is rolling out a multi-pronged initiative that combines community intervention and storytelling to drive awareness around preventive cooling in public infrastructure.
School Initiative
Taking this effort beyond individual households, Berger Paints has rolled out a school transformation and cooling initiative across 30 government schools in Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan, with implementation support from Smile Foundation. Through the application of heat-reflective coatings from the Kool range, the initiative aims to create significantly cooler and more conducive learning environments for students in regions most affected by extreme heat. The intervention is expected to support student well-being, improve attendance, and enhance the overall classroom experience during peak summer months. For design teams, this scales passive thermal strategy across distributed education assets where mechanical cooling is often absent.
Product Range
To further amplify the message, Berger Paints has launched a powerful brand film showcasing the transformative impact of its Kooling Solution range, including Berger Anti Dustt Kool and Berger Roof Kool & Seal, designed to reduce heat absorption across exterior walls and rooftops, along with Berger Tank Kool that helps keep water tanks cooler during peak summers. The film highlights the importance of proactive cooling in everyday life, featuring heartfelt testimonials from teachers and principals who have witnessed students thrive in the improved environment. For MEP and envelope consultants, the range addresses three heat-gain vectors: vertical walls, horizontal roofs, and service elements like water tanks, offering a system-level approach to surface temperature management.
Performance Intent
Heat-reflective coatings work by increasing solar reflectance index and thermal emittance, lowering roof and wall surface temperatures by up to 15-20ยฐC under direct sun. In schools with RCC or metal roofs, this reduces radiant heat ingress and stabilizes indoor operative temperatures without active HVAC. Berger Anti Dustt Kool adds dust-resistant properties to maintain reflectivity in North Indiaโs high-particulate environment, while Roof Kool & Seal combines reflectivity with waterproofing for monsoon durability. Tank Kool targets a critical but overlooked source of thermal discomfort: overheated water in overhead tanks. Together, the Kool range supports ECBC and climate-adaptive design goals for institutional buildings.
Application Approach
The intervention covers surface preparation, priming, and application of Kool coatings on roofs, external walls, and tanks across the 30 schools. For specifiers and contractors, success depends on substrate moisture checks, crack filling, and film thickness control to maintain long-term SRI performance. The initiative also builds local applicator capacity through Smile Foundation, ensuring correct detailing at parapets, joints, and penetrations. In government schools, where maintenance cycles are long, product selection prioritizes UV stability, dirt pick-up resistance, and washability. This on-ground deployment creates a reference set for PWDs and education departments planning similar retrofits at district scale.
Occupant Narrative
Juxtaposing the harsh outdoor heat with cooler, more hopeful classroom interiors, the brand film captures children learning and playing in comfort, reinforcing Berger Paintsโ promise of protection and well-being. The film concludes with the brandโs signature line, โPaint your imagination,โ and will be amplified across Bergerโs digital and social platforms. For the interiors and wellness community, the project links material specification to measurable comfort outcomes: reduced heat stress, better concentration, and extended usable hours in summer. It positions coatings not as a finish but as a functional building system that supports learning and health in vulnerable regions.
Leadership View
This integrated approach of combining product innovation, on-ground intervention, and storytelling underscores Berger Paintsโ commitment to driving a shift towards preventive cooling solutions. As climate patterns continue to evolve, the Kool range is positioned to support both households and communities in adapting to rising temperatures in a more practical and sustainable manner. Mr. Abhijit Roy, MD & CEO of Berger Paints India Limited, said, โAt Berger Paints, we believe innovation must translate into real-world impact. The Kool range is designed not just for homes, but for communities that are increasingly vulnerable to extreme heat. Through our school initiative, we are working towards creating more comfortable learning environments, and with our upcoming campaign, we hope to encourage wider adoption of practical and sustainable cooling solutions.โ
