India’s first Cool Roof Policy launched in Telangana

"Cool Roof Policy is effective from April 1 this year and already incorporated with building permissions applications," said KT Rama Rao

Hyderabad: Setting yet another example for other States in the country, Telangana on Monday became the first State to introduce a Cool Roof Policy 2023-2028, aimed at making the State thermally comfortable, heat resilient and to cut down energy consumption.

Municipal Administration and Urban Development Minister KT Rama Rao, launching the policy, said it was effective from April 1 this year and was already incorporated with building permissions applications.

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The Cool Roof programme is now mandatory for all government, government-owned, non-residential and commercial buildings irrespective of the site area or built up area. Occupancy certificates will be issued only after ensuring compliance with the policy.

For residential buildings that have plot area of 600 square yards and above, cool roof application is mandatory. For buildings that have plot area of less than 600 square yards, it is optional or voluntary.

“I have personally got cool roof painting done for my house and it is very beneficial,” Rama Rao said, adding that the policy was being launched in the better interest of the people and Hyderabad.

“It is a good policy but for effective implementation, self-regulation is key. It is introduced with long-term objectives for the benefit of future generations and not for any political gains,” he said, pointing out that the cost for cool roof painting or tiles would be Rs.300 per square metre and it could be recovered in about two years through energy savings.

Telangana being the third most urbanised State after Tamil Nadu and Kerala in the country with almost 50 per cent of the population residing in urban areas, the Minister stressed on the need to introduce cost-effective and climate-friendly cooling solutions to counter the urban heat island effect.

Leading countries have already adopted the cool roof programme. New York City started the programme in 2009 with a target of cool roof coverage of one million square feet a year. Telangana too has set itself some modest targets. In the 2023-24 financial year, the State aims to cover five square km cool roof area in Hyderabad and 2.5 square km in the rest of Telangana. The total aggregated area to be covered under cool roof area by 2028-29 in Hyderabad was 200 square km and 100 square km for rest of Telangana, he said.

The Minister added that the State government’s ambition was to implement it in government housing schemes, government offices, roads, pavements, and cycling tracks. The Minister also directed Urban Development Special Chief Secretary Arvind Kumar to explore awarding incentives to encourage builders and property owners to adopt cool Roof Policy guidelines apart from encouraging rooftop gardens and incentives for the same.

He also said special training programme for builders and all those involved in construction industry about cool roof products and their benefits at National Academy of Construction, Madhapur.

Centre draws inspiration from TS initiatives

Stating that imitation was the best form of flattery, the Minister said not just Mission Kakatiya and Bhagiratha, Telangana’s Rythu Bandhu was copied as PM Kisan while Urban Forest Parks were being copied as Nagar Van. “If the rest of India is learning from Telangana, why not? This is another very important initiative and hope the rest of India picks up. But before making such tall claims, we have to implement effectively and show results,” Rama Rao said.