Cool roofs: homes fit for a hotter world | Wellcome

As rising temperatures challenge vulnerable regions, could ‘cool roofs’ be the affordable, sustainable solution?

This episode of ‘When Science Finds a Way’ explores this low-cost solution that reflects heat and keeps homes cooler. Host Alisha Wainwright speaks with Dr Aditi Bunker, who led a study in Burkina Faso measuring the impact of this simple yet effective intervention. Could this be a scalable solution for the future?

Download episode show notes and transcript: www.wellcome.org/podcast

01:17 Guest introduction: Dr Aditi Bunker
03:21 Extreme heat in Burkina Faso
06:07 Gninasse Rose on the health impacts of extreme heat in her village
08:02 Transition from mud brick homes to tin roofs
10:32 Cool roof intervention and it’s benefits
15:11 Partnering with local community and organisations
17:13 Field coordinator Dr Guillame Compoare on community-led research approaches
20:08 The importance of locally owned research through community engagement
21:24 Gninasse Rose reflects on the study's personal impact
24:26 Measuring heat-induced stress on the body
27:17 Innovative methods for data collection in the field
20:09 Key findings and insights from the study
32:33 Expanding the study to climate hotspots around the world
35:30 Closing remarks and acknowledgements

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