Cool Roofs Nouna HDSS

Cool Roofs Nouna HDSS - Climate Change and Health in SSA

Our primary objective is to test the effect of sunlight reflecting cool roof coatings – an adaptation to reduce indoor heat stress – and complementary interventions on health and environmental outcomes in Nouna, Burkina Faso.

Employing focus group discussions and thematic analysis, we designed a formative study to establish community acceptability and desirability of cool roofs prior to implementation. We spoke with key informants to elucidate perceptions on heat stress and understand strategies local strategies to coping with heat stress. During these discussions, participants described heat stress as a major issue in Nouna, with physical, emotional and psychological manifestations

Before conducting the cluster randomized control trial (cRCT) on the effects of cool roofs on health, behavioral and economic outcomes in Nouna HDSS, we initiated a mechanism study to identify before and after intervention temperatures and to record data for longitudinal analysis. Prior to the beginning the cRCT, we ran laboratory and field tests and conducted rigorous trainings for local painters to gain the necessary skills for mass coating the cool roofs application on the cRCT intervention homes.

Phase two of the study will expand the cRCT work to include more participants and houses and a mix of cooling technologies to understand if the effects of cool roofs can be enhanced when combined with other cooling interventions such as ventilation or ceiling insulation.

Project Leads

Till Bärnighausen

Aditi Bunker

Ali Sié

Team Members

Guillaume Compaoré

Gabriel Harp

Susan T Jackson

Jose Guillermo (Memo) Cedeño Laurent

Maquines Odhiambo Sewe

Govind Vijayakumar

Ferhat Baran Yıldırım

Steering Committee

Chris Bullen

Andy Haines

Jenna Krall

Groups & Projects