A learning and resource centre at Lilapur village in Ahmedabad with a modular roof, made from recycled coconut husk and paper waste, which can reduce indoor temperatures by 5-6°C.
IT IS early April, and mercury levels have already crossed 40°C in Ahmedabad, the industrial city of Gujarat. But Meena Soni's two-room house in Vishwas Nagar colony seems to emanate coolness, with the temperature at a comfortable 34°C or so. The reason, says Soni, is the unique modular cooling roof she installed a few years ago.
Made from recycled coconut husk and paper waste, the roof is removable, waterproof and a worthy upgrade to the earlier asbestos sheet that would turn the house into a furnace during summer. "Every year during this season, the health of my asthmatic husband used to worsen quite often, requiring him to seek urgent medical attention," she says. Now, her husband weathers the city's temperature spikes without visits to the hospital, and Soni does tailoring more consistently and comfortably. "We also save almost ₹400 a month on electricity bills," she says.
The roof, available under brand name ModRoof, costs almost ₹27,000 for an average roof of 9 sq m in a low-income settlement and is durable for 25 years. Like Soni, more than 200 low-income households from across the city have installed ModRoof in recent years with the help of a loan from Ahmedabad-based non-profit, Mahila Housing Trust (MHT), which has been promoting low-cost cool roof solutions since 2012.
Denne historien er fra April 16, 2022-utgaven av Down To Earth.
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Denne historien er fra April 16, 2022-utgaven av Down To Earth.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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A SPRIG TO CARE FOR
Punarnava, a perennial herb, is easy to grow and has huge health benefits
DIGGING A DISASTER
Soapstone mining near Dabti Vijaypur village has caused many residents to migrate.
REVIEW THE TREATMENT
Several faecal sludge treatment plants in Uttar Pradesh suffer from design flaws that make the treatment process both expensive and inefficient
MAKE STEEL SUSTAINABLE
As India works to double its GDP by 2030, its steel industry must balance growth with sustainability. By embracing policies like the Steel Scrap Recycling Policy 2019 and adopting green technologies, India is paving the way for a more sustainable future in steel production
Can ANRF pull off the impossible for India?
Anusandhan National Research Foundation is expected to reorient India's innovation goals but funding issues, old mindsets remain a drag
TROUBLED WOODS
Forests are a great bulwark against climate change. But this is fast changing. AKSHIT SANGOMLA travels through some of the pristine patches of the Western Ghats to explore how natural disturbances triggered by global warming now threaten the forest health
BLINDING GLOW
The science is clear: increased illumination has damaging consequences for the health of humans, animals and plants. It’s time governments introduced policies to protect the natural darkness and improved the quality of outdoor lighting.
GROUND REALITY
What happens when the soil loses the ability to grow healthy, high-yield crops on its own?
GM POLICY MUST BE FARMER CENTRIC
On July 23, the Supreme Court of India directed the Union government to develop a national policy on genetically modified (GM) crops for research, cultivation, trade and commerce through public consultation.
Vinchurni's Gandhi
A 96-year-old farmer transforms barren land into a thriving forest in drought-prone region of Satara
