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250 Homes Repainted in Blue City
Known by the world as “Blue City,” the iconic area of Rajasthan, India, recently had 250 homes repainted.
Keeping with its namesake, Dulux paint colored to a vibrant blue hue was applied to the exterior walls of the homes. The project was completed as part of global coatings manufacturer AkzoNobel’s “Let’s Color” project.
About ‘Let’s Color’
Launched in 2009, AkzoNobel’s “Let’s Color” initiative was introduced to show the power of paint and how it could transform the lives of those living in more vulnerable areas of the world.
According to the company, since then, it has only continued to build the program on a triple foundation of making a positive impact and inspiring communities, driving employee engagement and building AkzoNobel’s brand. The initiative is also reported to demonstrate the value of AkzoNobel’s “People. Planet. Paint.” approach to sustainability.
Notably, over the last decade, the program has helped to:
To view additional case studies and program achievements, click here.
Blue City Project
Completed at the end of August, it reportedly took 5,600 liters to coat the exterior more than 250,000 square feet of walls in the Blue City. An integral part of Jodhpur’s identity for centuries, the blue has “reignited” the city’s timeless appeal.
In addition, to coating residential exteriors, crews were reported to have also applied Dulux FloorPlus paints to various community walkways and staircases throughout the community.
On over 100 roofs within the tourist destination, AkzoNobel also applied Dulux Weathershield Protect. The coating can help to reduce structure temperatures by up to five degrees Celsius (41 degrees Fahrenheit).
Reports have also indicated that 20 colorful murals were created along several streets leading up to Mehrangarh Fort, which towers over the city, over the course of the renovation project.
“We’re extremely proud to bring our ‘Let’s Color’ program to Jodhpur and show how the transformative power of paint can inspire people and uplift communities,” said Rajiv Rajgopal, Managing Director of AkzoNobel India.
“This project also goes beyond preserving the remarkable heritage of the Blue City. We’re creating new livelihood opportunities for the local community, supporting local artists and want to make a sustainable difference by protecting homes and making them cooler.”
In total, the project was reported to take about four months to complete and was carried out by AkzoNobel Paint Academy painters, local artists and residents, and AkzoNobel volunteers.
“It’s always exciting to see the difference our products can make,” adds Rajgopal. “Whether we’re bringing cheer to local communities, protecting homes, showcasing art and culture, or celebrating history and heritage, everything we do starts with People. Planet. Paint.”
Other Recent AkzoNobel News
Earlier this month, a team of researchers from global coatings company AkzoNobel discovered several ways of creating the “perfect impasto” as part of a years-long analysis of Rembrandt’s 17th-century masterpiece, “The Night Watch.”
Researchers and conservators at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam have been working to learn more about the painting for several years as the teams prepare for its first restoration in over 40 years.
Akzo Nobel and the Rijksmuseum first announced a partnership and that they’d be working on the 377-year-old painting in July 2019. Previously, The Night Watch had been hidden in a bunker within coastal dunes at the start of the second world war. The painting reportedly remained there for four centuries before being rediscovered.
As outlined in previous years, AkzoNobel’s research and development manager Gerard van Ewijk has been determined to uncover the recipe used by Rembrandt in his “impasto” technique. The method, which has also been referred to as wall filler, involves layering paint thickly enough to stand out from the canvas.
The team recently discovered that the innovative, 3D effect used egg yolk in the mixture. Katrien Keune, head of science at the Rijksmuseum, shared that yolk was believed to have been mixed and boiled linseed oil and lead oxide to create a thick coating.
According to researchers from Sorbonne University in France, the tempura paint—also known as egg tempera—reigned as a supreme medium among Renaissance artists, such as Leonardo DaVinci, Raphael and Sandro Botticelli.
Before oil paints made their debut, the yolk-based paint was utilized for numerous murals in ancient China, Mycenaean Greece, Egypt and Babylonia for its durability, quick-drying properties and the ability to appear opaque and luminous.
To better understand the 15th-century coating’s molecular structure, researchers took to paint recipes recorded in a handbook called Il libro dell'arte by Italian painter Cennino Cennini, according to a French National Center for Scientific Research statement.
In the research currently underway, however, Van Ewijk pointed out that there had not been any need for the egg yolk in order to create the same effect. To that end, he shared that the 30:70 ratio of raw linseed oil and lead white creates the perfect impasto paint, offering a plausible alternative recipe to what was previously assumed to be used.
While the discovery seemed to create more questions about paint techniques rather than answers, the team of researchers also noted that they had recently delivered advances in the creation of Polycell, Dulux’s brand of wall filler sold in the United Kingdom.
As the team prepares to begin the official restoration process, they’ve shared that the first step will involve correcting a deformation in the top left-hand corner of the canvas. The damage is thought to have occurred while being housed in the Philips wing of the Rijksmuseum during the main building’s renovation between 2003 and 2013.
To prepare for these corrections, the 3.63-meter (11.91 foot) by 4.37-meter painting was removed from its 1975-era wooden stretcher and fitted to a new, non-reactive material frame.
Next steps regarding the painting’s restoration are expected to be announced in December.
In July, decorative paints company Coral, an AkzoNobel-owned brand, announced the development of a mosquito-repellent coating to fight against dengue fever in Brazil.
Over the first few months of 2022, it was reported by the Brazilian Ministry of Health that dengue surged by 165% in the country. Largely responsible for the spread of the viral illness are infected Aedes aegypti mosquitos, which can transfer dengue to humans through their bite.
Up until May 14 this year, there were 855,910 reports of probable infection of dengue in Brazil, with an incidence of 401.2 per 100,000 inhabitants.
According to the World Health Organization, the global incidence of dengue has grown dramatically, with around half the world’s population at risk. In addition to dengue, Aedes aegypti are also capable of spreading zika and chikungunya viruses.
Specifically designed to combat the Aedes aegypti mosquito, the Well-being Protection Anti-Mosquito transparent coating was tested in an independent external laboratory, certified by the Brazilian Network of Analytical Laboratories in Health.
The transparent coating utilizes permethrin—notably known for its repellent properties and use in fabrics for mosquito nets and protective clothing—as an active ingredient within its varnish matrix.
Taking place on painted walls and ceilings in a life-size house environment, researchers conducting the study found that when a mosquito landed on the transparent topcoat, the permethrin was absorbed through its feet and over-excited the insect’s nervous system, causing it to disengage or fall off.
Currently only available in Brazil, there are plans to make Well-being Protection Anti-Mosquito available in other countries and regions.
