**India’s sweltering summers spark calls for climate-friendly construction**
The government has been urged to provide financial incentives for building owners to use materials that naturally reduce temperatures, as India’s sweltering summers take a toll on citizens.
The year 2025 was the eighth-warmest on record for India since 1901, with temperatures frequently exceeding 45 degrees Celsius. This has combined with increased humidity to cause severe hardships across the country. The sweltering heat poses a significant threat to public health, with heat-related deaths on the rise.
According to Greenpeace India, the use of climate-friendly building materials could help mitigate the effects of rising temperatures. Materials such as adobe, bamboo, and recycled materials can reduce the need for air conditioning, lower energy consumption, and minimize the urban heat island effect. These materials also have the added benefit of being more sustainable and environmentally friendly.
The push for climate-friendly construction is gaining momentum in India, with several cities and states taking steps to implement sustainable building practices. However, experts argue that the effort needs to be scaled up and made more accessible to the masses.
**Cooling homes, reducing carbon**
What this means: The government can encourage the adoption of climate-friendly building materials by offering financial incentives, but it’s just the starting point. Homeowners and building developers will also need to be educated about the benefits of using these materials and the long-term cost savings they can provide. The focus should be on creating a culture of sustainable construction that prioritizes the well-being of both people and the planet.
**A national push for cooling workplaces**
In addition to promoting climate-friendly construction, experts are calling for the government to take a more proactive approach in addressing the heat stress faced by workers in offices and public spaces. This includes providing cooling measures, such as fans, misting systems, or even indoor air conditioning, in public buildings and workplaces.
According to Dr. Ravi Kumar, a leading expert on sustainable urban planning, “It’s not just about individual homes; we need to think about creating cool public spaces that are accessible to everyone.”
