STS Global and Chintan implement cool-roof solutions in Delhi’s Vivekananda Camp

The number of seasonal heatwave days in Delhi is on the rise. Within the city, low-income, high-density settlements are disproportionately affected by this change. This translates to higher indoor temperatures, which in turn are responsible for a host of health issues - both chronic and acute. 

Women, children, and the elderly are particularly vulnerable to these health impacts since they spend most time indoors. With the upcoming season set to be as bad or worse than last year, there is an urgent need for frugal, replicable and effective mitigation strategies in such settlements. 

One such intervention piloted by the Chintan Environmental Research and Action Group and STS Global is a “cool-roof” retrofit of homes in Vivekananda Camp, a settlement near Chanakya Puri. Residents from the camp, which is a community of ragpickers and domestic workers, partnered with the two organisations to reduce indoor temperatures by modifying the roof of existing houses.  

In their approach, the project team conducted multiple recces to identify homes which were most vulnerable to heatwaves. After choosing intervention sites, a collaborative design process was followed involving residents, architects, planners and material experts. Materials were chosen on the basis of cost and ease of use and availability. Jute, bamboo, tarpaulin sheets, recycled cardboard, polystyrene  and aluminum foil insulation sheets were selected.

Three designs were finalized for prototyping and testing. Implementation of the models was once again done in collaboration with residents. While all the prototypes brought indoor temperatures down, one of them resulted in a 12.7ºC decrease. Given that indoor temperatures can be 7ºC higher than corresponding outdoor temperatures, such a decrease can be hugely beneficial to physical and mental health.

Dr. Anshu Sharma, Co-Founder, STS Global, said: “Frugal innovations that are rooted in their contexts are one of the most important forms of climate adaptation. These can easily be implemented in other cities and countries that are battling rising temperatures. Making sure that the residents are part of the design process is intrinsic to making such interventions successful.”