The optical and thermal properties of black coatings pigmented with different black colorants were systematically investigated, and their surface temperature reduction values and cooling energy savings were estimated relative to the black coating pigmented with carbon black in Shanghai, China. The black coatings separately pigmented with NIR-transmitting perylene black and dioxazine purple colorants were identified to be real cool black coatings. The addition of chrome titanium yellow to the black coating pigmented with dioxazine purple re-establishes the true black coatings. Over white basecoats, the estimated surface temperature reduction values and annual cooling energy savings in Shanghai are 13.8 degrees C and 3.9 kWh m(-2) yr(-1), respectively, for the black coating pigmented with perylene black colorant; these two values are 10.2 degrees C and 2.24 kWh m(-2) yr(-1), respectively, for the black coating pigmented with dioxazine purple colorant. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.