BRAC University’s work on the ‘Million Cool Roofs Challenge (MCR)’ action-research titled ‘Cool To Be Cool’ has been completed with the submission of the final report in August 2021. The Million Cool Roofs Challenge, a global competition to accelerate access to affordable, sustainable cooling through the rapid deployment of cool roof materials, was an endeavor for both the Department of Architecture and BRAC James P Grant School of Public Health (JPGSPH), which jointly became the finalists in the MCR competition (https://lnkd.in/gtuNwC5).
UDP BRAC was a collaborative organization in this research. The challenge has had a massive impact worldwide, with other finalists participating from Cote d’Ivoire, Indonesia, Kenya, Mexico, Niger, Philippines, Rwanda, Senegal, and South Africa.
Members of the research team are Dr. Zainab Faruqui Ali, S. Y. Andalib, S M Kaikobad, Mohammad Zillur Rahman, Emmat Ara Khanam Ema, Md. Samiur Rahman Bhuiyan, KM Ishaan Mustapha, Tanjina Khan,ShayeekaBinteAlam, and Tasfin Aziz of the Department of Architecture; and Dr. MalabikaSarker, Dr. Atonu Rabbani, Shihab Ad-Din, Md Nazmul Islam, RezoanKobir, Mollah S Kabir, JannatulSumrina of the JPGSPH.
Over the course of 2020 and 2021, the research team of the Department of Architecture and JPGSPH worked successfully in a participatory method with the community to apply the Cool Roof coatings on houses at Karail slum and two Garment factories in Dhaka. This work also involved collecting thermal data, documentation of buildings, and conducting comfort and health surveys among users. The analysis of data showed good results in terms of reduction in indoor temperature due to the application of cool roof coating.
Some photos of the project can be viewed below.