Factsheet: Thermally-efficient Roofs
August 13, 2025
Most Indian urban homes use layered roofing assemblies, typically a concrete base topped with waterproofing and finishing materials like tiles, bricks or stone. However, these roofing assemblies are often not designed for thermal efficiency and tend to absorb and retain solar heat.
This heat gain leads to rising indoor temperatures that compromise thermal comfort – particularly for vulnerable communities – and elevated outdoor temperatures that intensify the urban heat island effect.
Roofs must be reimagined using strategies that act across all layers-above, on, and below the roof surface. Building on traditional practices, modern methods combine reflectance, insulation, and green barriers to create nuanced, thermally efficient solutions.
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