India’s common heat waves are difficult to endure, but a local startup has developed modular roofing panels made from recycled materials designed to keep homes cooler, to prevent discomfort and even deaths.
“When I started the company, I traveled across four states of India, rural areas, urban slums, and spoke to 600 families,” says Hasit Ganatra, founder and CEO of ReMaterials, the startup that makes the Modroof. “And I kept seeing these roofs which needed change. It’s very easy to ship, it’s very easy to install, it’s very easy to repair or maintain.”
Each insulated panel is made out of cardboard and wood waste, which renders it very light. A coating even makes it waterproof during monsoons. Once installed, the new roof is proven to keep the house cooler by 18 degrees Fahrenheit (or 8 degrees Celsius). Up until now, the company has installed 500 roofs in India and is looking to expand its activities to Africa and South America.
