Professor Zainab Faruqui Ali, Chairperson of the Department of Architecture at BRAC University, presented a paper titled “Cool to be Cool: Impact of cool roof coating on the thermal performance of slum houses in Dhaka” at Architectural Research Centers Consortium (ARCC) Conference in Dallas, USA on 13-15 April, 2023.
Founded in 1976, the ARCC is an international association of architectural research centers, academies and organizations committed to the research culture and supporting infrastructure of architecture and related design disciplines. Through conference programming, grant and award programs, workshops and research journal Enquiry, ARCC represents a concerted commitment to improve the quality of life in the built environment.
In the paper, Professor Ali discussed the thermal performance and indoor environment of select houses in the Karail slum in Dhaka after the application of a coating of reflective paint on their roofs. The paper was co-authored by Emmat Ara Khanam Ema, a lecturer of the Department of Architecture and based on research conducted in 2020-21 as a collaboration project of the Department of Architecture and BRAC James P Grant School of Public Health of BRAC University.