A new study has found a new type of fabric that could keep people cool in hot climates and reduce the need for expensive and energy-consuming air conditioning. A team of researchers have developed a low-cost, plastic-based textile that allows the body to release heat in a new manner. Just as sweating is one way the body cools off, the new clothing could help people reduce body heat. This cooling clothing could allow for air-conditioning to be set to a lower output than usual while still ensuring people stay cool, the researchers claimed.

According to the researchers, heating and cooling spaces contribute to 12.3 per cent of total energy consumption in the US and efforts to reduce energy use have focused on improving building insulation and enabling smart temperature control. However, engineers studying personal thermal management found that providing heating or cooling only to one person rather than the power needed to cool an entire building would result in far higher energy efficiency.

As with ordinary fabrics, the new material allows perspiration to evaporate. However, its other, new cooling mechanism works by allowing the heat the body emits as infrared radiation to pass through the textile, the researchers explained.