Call for innovations that improve thermal comfort and cooling access

The World Resources Institute (WRI) India and partners had recently launched the ‘Keep Cool Innovation Challenge’, a nationwide call for affordable, scalable, and people‑centred solutions for the country’s most heat‑vulnerable populations. The WRI press release highlights that over the past few years, India has been at the frontline of a worsening global heat crisis, with more frequent, intense, and prolonged periods of extreme heat severely impacting public health, productivity, and livelihoods. Rising urban temperatures, inadequate building design, and widening infrastructure gaps across urban and rural areas are exacerbating heat stress — especially among disadvantaged groups.

Nearly 17% of the urban population live in informal settlements with heat-trapping materials and poor ventilation, the WRI press release points out. Even in formal housing, basic thermal comfort standards are frequently unmet due to inadequate design and construction practices, compounding the effects of the urban heat island (UHI) phenomenon. In rural areas, in addition to rising heat stress, inadequate cold chain and refrigeration infrastructure lead to substantial postharvest losses, undermining farmer incomes, food security, and supply chains. heat exposure disproportionately affects vulnerable populations such as outdoor workers, residents of congested informal settlements, senior citizens and children, etc. The impact on health and livelihoods is significant, leading to heat-related illnesses, loss of wages, work hours, disruptions in farming, construction, supply chains and logistics. Despite an urgent need for frugal cooling solutions to reduce heat risk among vulnerable communities and lower-income groups, there is limited evidence of long-term impact and scaleup of pilots. The Keep Cool Innovation Challenge aims to bridge this gap by supporting innovations that improve thermal comfort and cooling access across places of living, work, education, and commute while strengthening livelihoods and supply chains. By focusing on low‑cost, high-quality, and practical solutions, it seeks to reduce the adverse impacts of extreme heat on health, productivity, and quality of life, particularly among communities with limited access to reliable electricity and formal infrastructure. WRI India will connect innovators with investors, industry partners, and implementation networks to accelerate adoption and scale. The Challenge will also support the creation of regional innovation networks across India’s diverse climatic zones.

As explained by a World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) publication, ‘Green Technology Book: Solutions for confronting climate disasters’, innovative cooling technologies combat extreme heat through urban and infrastructure solutions. Reflective cool roofs and permeable pavements reduce urban heat islands, while misting systems lower outdoor temperatures. Buildings integrate thermal mass materials, green roofs, and smart ventilation. Wearable sensors monitor worker heat stress in real-time, and AI-enhanced early warning systems target vulnerable populations. Community cooling centres and mobile apps provide heat relief, complemented by emergency backup systems during power outages.

According to the WIPO Book, to combat the UHI effect, cities use passive cooling techniques such as cool roofs, shading and cross-ventilation. An UHI occurs when cities experience significantly higher temperatures than surrounding rural areas due to dense buildings, asphalt, and limited green space Cool roofs that are made with reflective materials or light colours reduce solar heat absorption, lowering indoor temperatures and energy use. Similarly, permeable pavements reflect heat while managing stormwater. Urban greening lowers temperatures through shade and evapotranspiration while also improving air quality. Research shows that combining multiple cooling methods delivers the most effective results.

As heat extremes escalate, the WIPO book explains that the need for smarter and more equitable solutions is becoming urgent. Traditional responses are no longer sufficient. Innovation is now central to building heat resilience, driving new solutions that help cities, communities and individuals identify and apply measures that prevent or reduce extreme heat risk before it manifests as heat shock. From construction materials design to wearable devices that detect early signs of heat stress, to satellite-driven heat-risk maps, technology is transforming how we understand, forecast, respond and adapt to, and survive extreme heat. Innovation also supports inclusivity and equity, providing scalable, low-cost solutions for vulnerable populations who bear the greatest heat burden. Across sectors, innovators are integrating climate data, human and ecosystem health information, digital platforms, advanced materials, smart infrastructure and behavioural science to redefine responses to extreme heat. These solutions go beyond the purely reactive – they are preventive, dynamic and increasingly tailored to specific needs of different populations and environments.