Cooling Ahmedabad: Climate Experiment With ‘Cool Roofs’ To Tackle Heat

India-West News Desk

NEW DELHI – In an effort to combat rising temperatures in Gujarat, hundreds of homes in Ahmedabad have received a new “cool roof” treatment, where their rooftops are painted with a white reflective coating.

This initiative, which began two months ago, is part of a global scientific experiment aimed at understanding the impact of extreme indoor heat on health and economic well-being in developing nations, and evaluating how reflective roofs might provide a solution, Reuters said.

Temperatures in Ahmedabad have surged beyond 115°F in recent years due to climate change, placing immense pressure on residents. In the Vanzara Vas slum, one of the communities involved in the trial, participants have already begun to feel the positive effects of the cool roofs.

Reuters noted that in the past, one resident shared how she used to cover her roof with plastic sheets and grass to mitigate the heat, spending long hours outside during the hottest parts of the day.

The trial, set to continue for one year, will monitor both health and environmental conditions of the households with cool roofs, comparing them to those without. This research extends to other global sites in Africa, Mexico, and Niue.