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POLICY REVIEW
same time, to keep inhabitants need of government support national ministries, namely,
safe during the disasters. and targeted programmes to Ministry of Environment,
Hence, both “greening’ and enable thermal comforts for Ministry of Power and
‘climate proofing’ of the EWS and LIGs. One of the Ministry of Housing and
future affordable housing are important interventions for Urban affairs and their sub-
the integral part of the India’s enhancing thermal comforts ordinate offices, making
road map towards SDG 11 is, cool roofs. According to its implementation quite
and SDG13. various studies, cool roofs complex. In response to the
can keep indoor temperatures emerging need of “cooling”
INDIA COOLING lower and can help decrease in Indian cities, the Ministry
ACTION PLAN (ICAP), the dependence on air of Housing and Urban affairs
2019 conditioners and also reflects (MoHUA) have made an
Considering the India’s sunlight and absorb less heat. addendum to the Urban and
climate change outlook Depending on the setting, Regional Development Plan
and rapidly spiralling heat cool roofs can help keep Formulation Guidelines 2014,
stress, the Central Ministry indoor temperatures lower focussing on cool roofing for
of Environment, Forests and by 2 to 5°C (3.6 to 9°F) as low-income housing.
Climate Change (MoEFCC) compared to traditional roofs. In another initiative, the Indian
has launched ICAP in 2019. At least four cities in India, Ministry of Power launched
The need for cooling is namely, Delhi, Ahmedabad, the Eco Niwas (www.
increasingly being considered Surat and Hyderabad, have econiwas.com) in December
as key to the health, initiated through community 2017, to raise awareness and
wellbeing, and productivity. partnerships. Initial results make people interested in
The India Cooling Action from these pilot initiatives energy efficiency measures
seeks to: (i) reduce cooling are encouraging and require in buildings. The site also
demand across sectors by 20% robust policy support to offered toolkits to analyze
to 25% by 2037-38; (ii) reduce upscale them significantly. building energy performance
refrigerant demand by 25% to through various basic and
30% by 2037-38; (iii) Reduce GREEN, AFFORDABLE advanced assessment tools.
cooling energy requirements AND RESILIENT
by 25% to 40% by 2037-38; (iv) HOUSING – At the state level, some states
recognize “cooling and related Fragmented Policy like Delhi, Gujarat, Haryana,
areas” as a thrust area of Landscape and Assessment Punjab, Maharashtra, Tamil
research under national S&T Frameworks nadu, among others, have
Programme; and (v) training incorporated the green
and certification of 100,000 The overall policy landscape building elements such as
servicing sector technicians and implementation Water harvesting, green cover,
by 2022-23, synergizing with mechanism towards green, solar and waste management
Skill India Mission. These affordable, and resilient aspects in their Combined
actions will have significant housing in India are highly or Unified Building
climate benefits. fragmented. For the ICAP Development Control
2019, more than 15 national and Building regulations.
The urban poor have higher and state level departments Similarly, a few other states
exposure to and vulnerability and entities are identified have also mandated Energy
to heat stresses. ICAP, 2019 has as the “key stakeholders”. Conservation Building Code
specifically highlighted the Involvement of at least 3 (ECBC) compliance.
April 2022 Volume 23 No. 1 - SHELTER 37
