It takes a lot of energy to cool large buildings-- especially as the sun's UV rays beat on the exterior and windows, raising the temperature inside. 　　So researchers at Taiwan's Industrial Technology Research Institute set out to develop an inexpensive insulation spray to block the sun's effects. 　　After years of research, they think they have it with a product called "Spray IT"-- the winner of a 2011 Wall Street Journal Technology innovation Award. 　　Lin Itzer-Shen, from the ITRI, says part of the breakthrough is the low cost of the technology. Lin Tzer-Shen (Division Director of ITRI Electronic Materials and Devices Research Group): "What distinguishes our technology from traditional, silver-based methods, is that the coating of surfaces with the reflecting substance can be conducted in open-air environments. 　　That makes the process much more convenient. Our material is also much less expensive compared to silver-based solutions, and also much easier to apply. 　　Compared to silver-based substances, our solution is also much more resistant to oxidation under influence of air and water. 　　This is a big breakthrough." Researchers say Spray-IT can be produced for a tenth of the cost of currently available insulation materials and can be applied to existing buildings without specialized equipment. 　　After the spray is applied, materials exposed to heat show a lower temperature of about 10 degrees Celsius than those materials left untreated. The goal is to reduce the need - and cost - of air conditioning while simultaneously lowering the amount of CO2 it produces. 　　It's been designed for buildings, but its developers say the spray could also be used on cars, solar panels, and electronic devices. (Andrew Schmertz/Reuters)