An increasing number of Indians are adopting white rooftops as an affordable and effective way to beat rising temperatures. With summers becoming longer and hotter, especially in densely built urban areas, staying cool is becoming both more challenging and costly.

For many low-income families, air conditioners are not a viable option. That’s why a simple yet effective solution is gaining popularity across India—painting rooftops white. Known as cool roofing, this technique helps lower indoor temperatures by a few degrees without consuming electricity. It’s affordable, low-tech, and proving to be a game-changer.

Heat death in India in 2024

In 2024, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare reported 360 heatstroke deaths, but a separate report recorded a much higher toll of 733 deaths and over 40,000 heatstroke cases across 17 states. Between March and June, India endured record-breaking temperatures, with 37 cities exceeding 45°C.

A news analysis on heatstroke deaths by the non-profit HeatWatch revealed major discrepancies between official government figures and those reported by the media.

The National Programme on Climate Change & Human Health (NPCCHH) and the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) issued three key guidelines to reduce heat-related deaths, including the 2021 National Action Plan on Heat-related Illnesses and the 2024 guidelines on emergency cooling and autopsy findings. However, the report found that many healthcare professionals were unaware of these protocols, and hospital infrastructure remained insufficient to handle the increasing cases of heatstroke.

How the white rooftops make life comfortable

Imagine wearing black on a sunny day—it absorbs heat and makes you feel even hotter. The same happens with rooftops. Experts say regular concrete or metal roofs can reach scorching temperatures of 65°C or more. However, a simple coat of white or reflective paint can keep a roof up to 28°C cooler, significantly reducing indoor heat. By reflecting sunlight instead of absorbing it, the method keeps rooms cooler underneath, even without fans or air conditioners running all day.

Programme Manager of the Sustainable Habitat Programme at the India-based Centre for Science and Environment, Sugeet Grover, emphasized that even a 2-5°C drop in indoor temperatures can make a significant difference for families living in small or poorly ventilated homes. However, he cautioned that not all white paints offer the same level of heat reflection.

“White is the color that reflects the most light, but that doesn’t mean any white paint will yield the same results,” he explained. “Different paints have varying reflection values—some reflect more, some less. The reflectivity of the material itself also matters. Still, a simple white paint is better than none,” he clarified.

In a Zoom interview with JoyNews’ Mahmud Mohammed-Nurudeen, Sugeet emphasized that once users experience more comfortable indoor temperatures, they will rely less on fans and air conditioners, significantly reducing electricity and cooling costs.

“A 2–5°C reduction is huge in terms of how much electricity I would be able to save,” he noted. “And even if I use an air conditioner, it will consume less energy.”

Reports from Ahmedabad’s Vanzara Vas slum in Gujarat reveal that over 400 homes had their roofs coated with a white paint containing titanium dioxide, delivering immediate results—residents reported better sleep, reduced fan usage, and noticeable improvements in comfort.

In 2023, Telangana became the first Indian state to introduce a Cool Roof Policy, making white roofing mandatory for all government and commercial buildings while encouraging its adoption in homes. The state-wide initiative aims to combat urban heat and enhance climate resilience in rapidly warming cities.

With a population of about 40 million, located in the central-southern region of the Indian peninsula on the elevated Deccan Plateau, the state is highly susceptible to heatwaves as has experienced a sharp rise in heat events, with a nearly 120% increase in the average number of heatwave days recorded between 2010 and 2019 compared to the previous decade.

The state capital, Hyderabad, is among the fastest-growing cities in the country, housing about 3.9 million people. Following the success of these early trials, Telangana took steps to expand the program further.

In Delhi, the Mahila Housing Trust, in collaboration with the University of Chicago’s Energy Policy Institute (EPIC), has been assisting residents in resettlement colonies with applying cool roof paint. Even in densely packed neighborhoods, people have reported lower indoor temperatures and reduced electricity bills.

Similar initiatives are expanding across Surat, Bhopal, Jodhpur, and Ahmedabad, with support from the Mahila Housing Trust and the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). These projects focus on low-income communities, which are often the hardest hit during extreme heat waves.

Sugeet said recently the Energy Conservation Building Code (ECBC) in India mandates cool roofs for commercial buildings to enhance energy efficiency, with the Telangana Cool Roof Policy 2023-2028 further promoting their use.

The ECBC, launched by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE), also mandates the use of cool roofs in new commercial buildings with a connected load of 100 kW or a contract demand of 120 kVA or more. The ECBC aims to establish minimum requirements for energy-efficient design and construction of buildings, including cool roofs.

The approach is straightforward, requiring no specialized equipment or expensive tools. While many citizens take on the task themselves, some communities organize volunteer groups or hire local contractors to assist with the application process.

Sugeet highlighted the limitations such as dirt and dust that can reduce the reflective power of the white paint and advised that occasional cleaning helps.

Can Ghana implement a cool roof policy to combat rising temperatures?

Researchers at the Centre for Climate Change and Food Security (CCCFS) have been advocating for climate-friendly housing solutions for the past five years, but encouraging Ghanaians to adopt these measures has proven challenging.

CCCFS researcher Umar Faruk Apord Karim emphasised that cool roofs are particularly effective in Ghana’s hot areas to offer enhanced comfort during high temperatures. With a vision to build heat-resilient communities, CCCFS’s Cool Roof Advocacy (CCCFS-CRA) focuses on promoting widespread adoption, establishing an institutional framework, securing financing, raising awareness, and training professionals for installations.

Umar noted that CCCFS has the expertise to guide individuals and institutions in implementing cooling solutions. He suggested that integrating cool roofs into school infrastructure should be a government priority, ensuring that local assemblies mandate their installation before public structures are commissioned.

As a starting point, Umar proposed a pilot initiative in which each district designates a building to serve as a control group for testing and evaluating the effectiveness of cool roof systems.

He said a country must not wait to pay the cost of avoidable implications before putting in measures, citing instances where extreme heat strains health infrastructure and leads to heat-related illnesses such as heat exhaustion and heatstroke.

“Vulnerable Ghanaians are facing greater health risks and financial pressures – medical costs are threatening their financial stability and forcing them to adopt coping strategies that jeopardize their long-term economic well-being,” he warned.

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