A study protocol for a controlled clinical heat adaptation trialMichaela Deglon1,2*, Chad Africa2 , Larske Marit Soepnel2,3, Thandi Kapwata4 , Ama de‑Graft Aikins5 , Kweku Bedu‑Addo6 , Guy Howard7 , Estelle Victoria Lambert8,9, Dale Elizabeth Rae8 , Martha Sibanda10, Christopher Gordon11, Mark New1 and Lara Ruth Dugas2,12AbstractBackground Temperatures across Africa are expected to rise at...
A University of Cape Town-led project is testing heat-reflective roof paint to cool homes and protect the health of low-income African communities in a warming world. ‘Everyone deserves a safe place to sleep at night that is not detrimental to their health,” Professor Lara Dugas, the co-principal investigator in the University of Cape Town’s...
Coating used on chicken coops promises to slash indoor temperatures and help millions of people get a good night’s sleep When the summer heat hits South Africa’s townships, it turns shacks into ovens. Informal dwellings made of little more than wood and corrugated metal sheets can reach 35C inside during the day and only fall to...
The University of Cape Town (UCT)-based research project, Heat Adaptation Benefits for Vulnerable groups In Africa (HABVIA), recently participated in the HeatNexus convening, highlighting its work on heat adaptation in vulnerable communities. Hosted by the Institute of Development Studies (IDS), HeatNexus brings together nine Wellcome Trust-funded research projects focused on enhancing health outcomes through heat...
As part of our ongoing research, HABVIA recently completed a roof-painting project in Ghana and South Africa to test how reflective coatings can reduce indoor temperatures in low-income housing. The initiative prioritised community participation, with residents in Khayelitsha trained to apply the cooling paint themselves.
HABVIA participated in the recent HeatNexus convening, where we shared insights from our work on heat adaptation interventions. This collaboration with international researchers is strengthening knowledge exchange on extreme heat solutions.