On a hot, sultry July afternoon last year, I visited Vathuruthy, a Tamil-majority migrant settlement in Kochi. Situated in a low-lying area near a nala (a drainage canal), Vathuruthy is a mix of densely packed, low-rise concrete buildings and makeshift cement-sheet structures. 

In Vathuruthy, like many dense urban settlements, heat-absorbing materials such as concrete and asphalt, reduced vegetation, and human activities, cause temperatures to rise. This intensifies thermal discomfort, increases energy consumption, and reduces overall air quality, forcing residents to endure extreme conditions. It was evident that residents were unable to invest in heat-resilient materials, building orientation, placement and sizes of windows, and roof design.