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Key Points

Bhubaneswar has made history by launching India's first Integrated Heat and Cooling Action Plan. The plan addresses both rising urban temperatures and increasing air conditioner demand through sustainable solutions. Developed over 18 months through collaboration between iFOREST and Singapore-ETH Centre, it includes technical modeling from Singapore's cooling program. This initiative represents a comprehensive approach to urban climate challenges through coordinated government action and environmental planning.

Key Points: Bhubaneswar Launches India's First Integrated Heat Cooling Action Plan

  • Addresses rising temperatures and urban heat island effects
  • Provides roadmap for urban greening and tree plantation
  • Manages growing air conditioner demand sustainably
  • Involves collaboration between Indian and Singaporean research institutions
2 min read

Odisha: Bhubaneswar gets India's first integrated heat and cooling action plan

Bhubaneswar becomes first Indian city with integrated heat and cooling strategy to combat rising temperatures and air conditioner demand through urban greening.

"This is the first action plan of India because the way heat is increasing and the way demand for air conditioners is increasing - Chandra Bhushan, iFOREST CEO"

Bhubaneswar, September 3

The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation, in collaboration with environment think tank International Forum for Environment, Sustainability & Technology (iFOREST), released the Integrated Heat and Cooling Action Plan (IHCAP) for the city on September 2.

Bhubaneswar (Odisha) [India], September 3 (ANI): The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation, in collaboration with environment think tank International Forum for Environment, Sustainability & Technology (iFOREST), released the Integrated Heat and Cooling Action Plan (IHCAP) for the city on September 2.

Developed by iFOREST in collaboration with the Singapore-ETH Centre (SEC), the plan provides a roadmap to address rising temperatures, humidity, the Urban Heat Island effect, and the growing demand for air conditioners.

Speaking to ANI, Bhubaneswar Mayor Sulochana Das informed about the research conducted by the iFOREST in collaboration with the Singapore-ETH Centre on heatwaves and rising temperatures in Odisha's capital.

"The iFOREST had done a collaboration with the Singapore cooling plant. Research was done on the heatwave and rising temperatures in Bhubaneswar. Today, they have released a research paper on the Integrated Heat and Cooling Action Plan for Bhubaneswar. It says that urbanisation cannot be stopped, and deforestation is happening because of it, but how much greenery will we plant to compensate for it, and how many trees will we plant? There is a plan and suggestion about all this, too," Mayor Das said.

Highlighting the uniqueness of the initiative, iFOREST CEO Chandra Bhushan said that the IHCAP addresses both the issues of increasing heat effects and the demand for air conditioners. He stated that the report took 18 months to prepare.

"This is the first action plan of India because the way heat is increasing and the way demand for air conditioners is increasing, it addresses both the challenges. Its technical modelling and modelling exercise have been done through the Cooling Singapore Program. It was an extensive process of 18 months to prepare this report," Bhushan told ANI.

From the Singapore side, Ander Zozaya, Project Manager at Cooling Singapore, ETH Centre, told ANI, "iFOREST has provided all the data that we need for our models. In Singapore, we are happy with the developments that we have made. It has brought all the different government agencies to work together. In Bhubaneswar, we have to analyse and study to support their Integrated Heat and Cooling Action Plan."

- ANI

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Reader Comments

R
Rajesh Q
Great initiative! But implementation is key. We've seen many plans gather dust. Hope BMC actually follows through with the tree plantation targets. More green cover = cooler cities 🌳
A
Aditya G
Singapore collaboration is impressive! They know urban planning better than anyone. Hope other Indian cities learn from this model. Our metros desperately need such integrated plans.
S
Sarah B
As someone who lived in Bhubaneswar for 2 years, I can confirm the heat island effect is real. The concrete jungle is replacing natural greenery rapidly. This plan gives me hope!
Karthik V
While I appreciate the effort, 18 months for a research paper seems too long. Climate action needs urgency! Hope the implementation doesn't take another 18 months to start.
N
Nisha Z
This is exactly what our cities need! Traditional architecture had natural cooling techniques. Hope they incorporate some of those ancient wisdom along with modern technology 🪟

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