CHENNAI: Even as the Greater Chennai Corporation rolls out heat-mitigation measures in schools by adapting cool roofs, city-based activists have called for a comprehensive annual heat-safety guideline to safeguard students from rising temperatures, extreme weather events and other climate-related health risks.
Officials say that cool roofs have reduced 6-7% of indoor temperature in the five government schools where the pilot was implemented. However, activists stress that heat mitigation in schools must extend beyond cool roofing systems.
Vanessa Peter, founder of Information and Resource Centre for the Deprived Urban Communities (IRCDUC), said, “The guideline should include infrastructure audits of existing school buildings to assess cross-ventilation, the adequacy and functionality of fans, access to safe drinking water, and uninterrupted water supply in restrooms,” she said.
She suggested including buttermilk in breakfast and mid-day meal programmes during summer and capacity building of teachers and staff to identify early signs of heat-related illnesses such as dehydration, heat exhaustion, heat stroke, and fatigue.
A senior corporation official assured that steps will be taken to formulate such a guideline as soon as possible. The Environment, Climate Change and Forests Department, through the Tamil Nadu Green Climate Company, is implementing a pilot cool-roofs initiative with the United Nations Environment Programme. The project is also a part of TN’s Green School scheme.
Following the success of pilot projects in Chennai, the initiative is now being expanded under the Tamil Nadu Climate Change Mission. Cool roof systems will be adopted in 55 schools, including 49 corporation schools and six government schools. Work has already been completed in five government schools. The corporation official said the initiative involves applying heat-reflective white paint on school roofs.
