Ahmedabad: Hundreds of homes in Ahmedabad’s informal settlements are being coated with reflective white paint to combat rising indoor temperatures as India braces for extreme summer heat.
The initiative, covering 400 households in Gujarat, is part of a global study on heat exposure and its health and economic impact in developing nations.
Led by Aditi Bunker, an epidemiologist at Germany’s University of Heidelberg, and supported by the Wellcome Trust, the project aims to assess how “cool roofs” can offer relief. “Homes should provide shelter, but many low-income dwellings are actually amplifying heat exposure,” Bunker explained.
Ahmedabad has seen temperatures soar past 46°C (115°F) in recent years, making heatwaves more intense due to climate change. In the Vanzara Vas slum, where most homes lack ventilation, residents have already noticed the benefits.
The white coating, containing reflective pigments like titanium dioxide, redirects solar radiation away from homes, reducing heat absorption.
The year-long experiment in Ahmedabad is part of a broader study spanning Burkina Faso, Mexico, and Niue in the South Pacific, covering diverse climates and building materials. Early results from Burkina Faso indicate that cool roofs lowered indoor temperatures by up to 1.7°C over two years, improving residents’ heart rates and overall well-being.
As heatwaves grow more frequent, solutions like cool roofs could provide a cost-effective way to protect vulnerable communities from extreme temperatures.
