Collaborating for a greener world

Innovation is fundamental to the Valspar company culture. In fact, Valspar was the first paint company to hire an academically trained chemist. In recent years, innovation at Valspar has meant more than expanding our color selection and improving our coating techniques and durability. Valspar collaborates with organizations to drive green innovation in the building industry.

Creating more durable and energy-efficient buildings is a great way to protect the environment for future generations. Valspar actively aligns with organizations and rating systems that encourage sustainability. We sit on technical committees and work with green pioneers to create a more sustainable world.

Valspar has collaborated with the following organizations:

• The American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) International, which has created over 12,000 global standards, improving lives around the world
• The Cool Roof Rating Council (CRRC), which develops accurate methods for evaluating and labeling the solar reflectance and thermal emittance of roofing products and disseminates this information to all interested parties
• Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), which is
• The Environmental Protection Agency’s ENERGY STAR, a successful voluntary energy conservation initiative

Our goal is to drive green innovation while providing coatings with exceptional durability and aesthetic qualities.

Coatings for Cooler Cities

The urban heat island effect causes ambient temperatures in cities to be higher than in nearby rural areas. The annual mean average temperatures in a city of 1 million or more people are commonly 2°F to 5°F warmer, or as much as 22°F warmer in the evening after sunset, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

This increase in temperatures can have numerous negative effects:

• It increases cooling costs for homes and businesses, thus increasing energy costs.
• Elevated temperatures make outdoor areas less comfortable in the summer, making cities less livable.
• Excessive-heat events are linked to heat stroke, fatigue, and respiratory difficulties.
• High roof and pavement temperatures heat rainwater runoff, which flows into rivers, ponds, and lakes, harming water quality and wildlife.

On sunny summer days, roof surface temperatures can be 50°F to 90°F warmer than the air. This is precisely why Valspar created solar reflective coatings with light-reflective pigments. These innovative coatings reflect infrared radiation while still absorbing the same amount of visible light.

Solar reflective coatings keep rooftop temperatures down, mitigating the heat island effect and reducing cooling costs. This is truly a win-win situation for the environment and the bottom line.