Telangana: Experts sound alarm bells over dangers of heat wave

Hyderabad: A combination of 35 degrees centigrade temperature and 100 percent humidity could be life-threatening for human beings, warned Plaksha University Chair Professor Vishal Garg.

He made this statement during his presentation on cool roof technology at the launch of the Cool Roof Policy by the Telangana government on Monday. He commended the government for initiating the policy, which would be the largest of its kind in the world. He pointed out that global warming and heatwaves pose significant risks to millions of people worldwide, and by 2030, approximately 200 million people could be vulnerable to heat waves, especially infants, children, and the elderly.

He explained that cool roof technology, which reflects sunlight back into the atmosphere, could help combat the effects of extreme heat. He added that cool roofs do not heat the atmosphere and can be beneficial in a high-humidity environment. He cited the example of Vanasthalipuram government area hospital, which has cool roof technology installed.

The Telangana government aims to cover around 300 square kilometres in the State with cool roofing, with an estimated saving of 600 million units of energy by 2028.

Municipal Administration and Urban Development (MAUD) Special Chief Secretary Arvind Kumar announced that all permissions issued in the State from April 01, 2023 will require cool roofing. CRRC Educator Neetu Jain emphasised that massive urbanization and concrete structures contribute to heat generation, and a cool roof could help reduce building-generated heat. She also highlighted that the efficiency of solar panels improves when used in conjunction with cool roof technology.