India’s Heat Crisis: Why Cool Roofs Are Becoming a Key Solution
Rising heat seasons push officials to promote reflective coatings and light-coloured rooftops, aiming to cut indoor warmth and reduce pressure on power use.
Cool roofs are roofs coated or built with light, reflective surfaces that bounce back sunlight and hold less heat. As heatwaves turn longer and sharper across India, city plans and NGOs are pushing this low-cost fix for homes, schools, and clinics, especially in dense neighbourhoods.
Why Cool Roofs Matter During Heatwaves
A white coating or reflective membrane can cut indoor heat by a few degrees, which matters when afternoons cross the danger line and power cuts hit. Reuters recently spotlighted cool-roof pilots in Ahmedabad’s informal settlements, part of a health-focused trial tracking how simple roof coatings change indoors heat exposure. Residents have reported better sleep and lower fan use, small wins, but real.
What India Is Doing Next
More cities are linking cool roofs to heat action plans and public buildings. Industry groups and climate bodies are also running workshops and pilots, like this official post sharing a cool-roof adoption session in Andhra Pradesh. Scale will depend on funding, maintenance, and quality control. Some roofs get patched and forgotten, that risk is real.
