Can Our Homes Beat the Heat? HOMES Study Shares Findings with Industry players.

By Lisper Mokaya and Teresa Bange

How can the homes we live in be made cooler, healthier and more climate-resilient? This was the question at the centre of a stakeholder engagement meeting convened by the HOMES Study team on August 31^st, 2026, bringing together researchers, regulators, professional bodies and key players in Kenya’s paint and roofing industry.

Held in Nairobi, the meeting provided an opportunity for the study team to share preliminary findings from the research and engage industry on the potential for locally available and affordable cooling solutions for homes, particularly in hot and humid environments.

The meeting was led by Principal Investigator (PI) of the HOMES Study, Dr. Bernard Abongo, and Co-PI Dr. Eric Ochomo, together with collaborators from Habitat for Humanity International, Eng. David Aballa and Ms. Wendy Gaitara.

Also in attendance were representatives from the Architectural Association of Kenya (AAK), National Construction Authority (NCA), Kenya Green Building Society (KGBS), Mabati Rolling Mills (MRM), Eurofix Industries and Kansai Plascon among others.

The engagement sought to create a link between research evidence and industry, with a view to exploring how effective housing interventions can move beyond research settings and become practical solutions for households across the country.

Opening the session, Dr. Abongo provided an overview of the HOMES Study and its focus on understanding how housing design and materials influence indoor temperatures, malaria risk and household wellbeing.

Eng. Aballa explained that many rural and low-income households rely on iron-sheet roofing, often combined with limited windows and inadequate natural ventilation. While these materials provide an affordable and durable roofing option, they can also contribute to high indoor temperatures, particularly during hot periods.

The study’s social science findings, presented by Ms. Teresa Bange, provided further insight into why such housing designs remain common despite the discomfort associated with excessive indoor heat.

According to the findings, communities recognise that iron-sheet roofs can make houses extremely hot. However, iron sheets remain a preferred roofing material because they are durable and support safe rainwater harvesting.Traditional thatched roofs, while generally cooler, require regular maintenance and have become increasingly difficult to access.

The findings also showed that the limited use of windows in some households is largely linked to financial constraints, highlighting the need for cooling interventions that are not only effective, but also affordable and accessible to communities.

The preliminary findings following the intervention showed promising changes in household thermal comfort. Presenting the post-intervention social science findings, Ms. Bange noted improved perceptions of indoor temperatures among participating households, with residents reporting better comfort and improved sleep.

The positive experience was more pronounced in Siaya compared to Kwale, although households in both sites reported benefits from the intervention. Importantly, the findings indicated that communities are willing to invest in modifications that improve thermal comfort and help reduce exposure to vectors, provided that affordable and practical solutions are available.

The difference was particularly evident during fact-finding interviews with households that participated in the intervention. Participants described how the changes to their roofs had affected their day-to-day experience of living in their homes, particularly during the hottest hours of the day.

One participant from Kwale recalled how difficult it had previously been to remain indoors during the day.“Before cool roof painting, you could not last an hour indoors during the day… now I no longer search for a tree shade to sleep… we sleep comfortably indoors.”Focus Group Participant, Kwale

The experiences shared by residents in the study sites were supported by environmental data collected through SwitchBot ambient sensors. Presenting the sensor findings, Dr. Daniel Kwaro noted an average reduction of approximately 2.5°C in indoor ambient temperature following the intervention, particularly during the hottest hours of the day.

The findings also showed a greater temperature reduction in Siaya compared to Kwale.

Dr. Kwaro explained that the difference could partly be attributed to the hotter and more humid conditions in Kwale, pointing to the need for additional or layered interventions in such environments.

The study team is also analysing data from wearable devices, which is expected to provide further insight into how changes in indoor temperature affect the human body and household health.

With the preliminary findings showing promise, attention during the meeting turned to a critical question: How can such solutions move from research to the market and become accessible to more Kenyan households?

Wendy Gaitara of Habitat for Humanity International challenged industry partners to consider what would be required to facilitate local production of specialised cooling materials. Industry representatives pointed to two key factors: strong scientific evidence and sufficient market demand.

The reflective paint used in the HOMES Study is currently imported from South Africa by Kansai Plascon, as the specialised formulation is not manufactured locally. For manufacturers, however, establishing local production would require a clear and sustainable market.

With the preliminary findings showing promise, attention during the meeting turned to a critical question: How can such solutions move from research to the market and become accessible to more Kenyan households?

The paint and roofing manufacturers expressed interest in supporting local research and development and exploring opportunities for local production of cooling solutions. However, they noted that wider market uptake would depend on strong scientific evidence, increased public awareness and sufficient demand to make local production commercially viable.

The discussions therefore highlighted the need to create greater awareness of the health and comfort benefits of cooler homes, while also making existing cooling solutions better known to the public.

Representing the Architectural Association of Kenya (AAK), Arch.  Rosemary Litunya noted that public awareness should go beyond presenting cool roofs as a construction or aesthetic solution. He emphasised the need to clearly communicate the link between excessive indoor heat and health, so that communities can better understand the importance of investing in cooler homes.

Industry representatives also highlighted the need to promote solutions that are already available locally, while exploring opportunities to expand local production of specialised cooling products. This, they noted, would require stronger collaboration between researchers, manufacturers and other stakeholders to build the evidence base and create a market for such solutions.

The discussions also underscored the importance of designing cooling solutions around local environmental conditions. Dr. Abongo emphasised that cooling technologies should not be considered in isolation, particularly in hot and humid areas where adequate ventilation is essential. “Ventilation must accompany any cooling product,” he noted, pointing to the risk of trapped moisture and dampness when interventions are applied without considering the overall design of the house.The stakeholders agreed that future solutions should be context-specific, taking into account the differences between hot and humid coastal areas and hotter, drier inland regions.

As discussions turned to the safety of the products and materials used to improve homes, participants emphasised that the health of artisans and construction workers must be considered alongside that of the households they serve.

“There is no healthy house without a healthy artisan or fundi,” said Lilian Kendi, Programme Director at the African Workforce Transformation Foundation, while raising concerns about possible exposure to Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) and other occupational risks associated with paint application and construction work.

Her concerns brought an important dimension to the discussion: as new housing solutions are promoted for healthier and cooler homes, the safety of the people installing them must also remain a priority.

Responding to the concerns, Kansai Plascon assured participants that the reflective formulation currently used in the study meets the required safety standards and is approved by the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS). The company further noted that the product carries a 12-year warranty and has been used in South Africa for several years.

The discussion highlighted the need for housing innovations to consider the full chain of health and safety from the artisan applying the product, to the household living under the roof, and ultimately to the wider community expected to benefit from the intervention.

The discussions nevertheless highlighted the importance of continued local research and independent validation as products move towards wider adoption and local manufacture.

The engagement marked an important step in the HOMES Study’s efforts to ensure that research evidence informs practical solutions for Kenyan households. For the researchers, the preliminary findings provide encouraging evidence that relatively simple housing interventions can make a measurable difference in indoor thermal comfort.

For industry, the discussions provided an opportunity to better understand the evidence, market potential and technical considerations surrounding cool-roof technologies.And for communities, the ultimate goal remains simple: homes that are cooler, healthier and better adapted to a changing climate.

As the HOMES Study progresses, the research team will continue analysing the data, including the wearable device findings, while working with industry and other stakeholders to explore how effective cooling solutions can be made locally available and accessible to the households that need them most.