To bring relief to patients amid rising heat in the city, the North City Corporation has started recording temperature and humidity levels at the Primary Health Centres (PHCs) during peak hours. Ten PHCs have been identified so far, with work already started at two of these health facilities. After collecting the temperatures for up to a week, the selected buildings will be coated with heat-reflective paint. The intervention is expected to lower indoor temperatures by up to 15 degrees Celsius, corporation officials said.
North Corporation Commissioner Pommala Sunil Kumar said temperatures will be recorded using a digital psychrometer for five consecutive days before the roofs are painted and for another five days after the coating has cured. The readings will be taken daily during peak heat hours between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m., tracking exterior roof surface temperature, interior ceiling surface temperature and indoor ambient air temperature.
From the baseline readings recorded so far, roof surface temperatures at the PHCs, taken at Agrahara and Amruthahalli PHCs, have ranged between 36 degrees Celsius and 39 degrees Celsius during peak afternoon hours, while indoor room temperatures have remained between 32 degrees Celsius and 34.35 degrees Celsius.
The official added that findings from a pilot study conducted elsewhere at another PHC showed that cool roof treatment reduced roof surface temperatures by nearly 15 degrees Celsius under similar weather conditions, which in turn led to a drop in indoor ambient temperature. The intervention is aimed at lowering indoor temperatures to make the facilities more comfortable for patients.
Corporation officials pointed out that the estimated cost of painting the roofs of the 10 selected PHCs with heat-reflective coating is between ₹9.3 lakh and ₹15.6 lakh, depending on the vendor, roof area and application specifications.
Officials said the heat-reflective coating was chosen as an immediate yet long-term solution to reduce heat absorption in PHC buildings. The coating reflects a major portion of sunlight, helping keep roof surfaces cooler, while also acting as a waterproof protective layer that makes roofs more resistant to leakage and weather-related wear and tear. Unlike extensive structural modifications, it can be applied quickly and is designed to withstand fluctuating temperatures without damage, making it suitable for public health facilities, a corporation official said.