Case-study /

Cool Roofing and Passive Ventilation in Surat, India

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Project overview

Surat in the last few years has experienced increases in temperature, especially during summer months. Expansion of the city is resulting in increasing heat island effects. This is further exacerbated by the impacts of global climate change, causing high temperature extremes to become common events in summer. The rise in temperature, combined with high relative humidity, increases the discomfort level in working and living conditions, leading to health problems such as stress, heat stroke, asthma, etc.

TARU Leading Edge is partnering with Surat Municipal Corporation to demonstrate Cool Roofing and Passive Ventilation (CRPV)options to increase the thermal comfort of citizens, especially poor households, during summers. Our aim is to improve the indoor thermal comfort level within buildings, with a focus on low-income housing, while avoiding an increase in peak electricity demand (associated with an increase in GHG emissions) associated with the growing use of fans and air conditioning units. This project is supported by the Asian Cities Climate Change Resilience Network (ACCCRN).

To achieve the above goal we are attempting to associate and coordinate with city, state and national stakeholders to study, demonstrate, monitor the impact and suggest measures for policy interventions. Our stakeholders for this project include the Surat Municipal Corporation, Government Departments, Town Planners, National Institutions, Architects, Technical Experts and Community Based Organisations.

One of the main project activities is a competition to design a variety of cool roof and passive ventilation options to be demonstrated at sites across the city on a variety of buildings including public buildings, slum and low income houses. These demonstrations will be used to display energy saving and temperature information through equipment. The competition is currently underway (August 2013). For more information visit the project website.

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