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.
This story is from the April 16, 2022 edition of Down To Earth.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the April 16, 2022 edition of Down To Earth.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
In leading role again
MOVIES AND WEB SERIES ARE ONCE AGAIN BEING SET IN RUSTIC BACKGROUNDS, INDICATING A RECONNECT BETWEEN CINEMA AND THE COUNTRYSIDE
One Nation One Subscription comes at a huge cost
As top US universities scrap big deals with top scientific publishers, India’s ONOS scheme seems flawed and outdated
Return of Rambhog
Bid to revive and sell the aromatic indigenous paddy variety has led to substantial profits for farmers in Uttar Pradesh's Terai region
Scarred by mining
Natural springs of Kashmir drying up due to illegal riverbed mining
Human-to-human spread a mutation away
CANADA IN mid-November confirmed its first human case of avian influenza, with a teenager in the British Columbia being hospitalised after contracting the H5N1 virus that causes the disease. The patient developed a severe form of the disease, also called bird flu, and had respiratory issues. There was no known cause of transmission.
True rehabilitation
Residents of Madhya Pradesh's Kakdi village take relocation as an opportunity to undertake afforestation, develop sustainable practices
INESCAPABLE THREAT
Chemical pollution is the most underrated and underreported risk of the 21st century that threatens all species and regions
THAT NIGHT, 40 YEARS AGO
Bhopal gas disaster is a tragedy that people continue to face
A JOKE, INDEED
A CONFERENCE OF IRRESPONSIBLE PARTIES THAT CREATED AN OPTICAL ILLUSION TO THE REALITY OF A NEW CLIMATE
THINGS FALL APART
THE WORLD HAS MADE PROGRESS IN MITIGATING EMISSIONS AND ADAPTING TO CLIMATE IMPACTS. BUT THE PROGRESS REMAINS GROSSLY INADEQUATE
