Effect of roof colour on indoor temperature and human comfort levels, with implications for malaria control: a pilot study using experimental houses in rural Gambia
Abstract Background In rural sub-Saharan Africa, thatch roofs are being replaced by metal roofs. Metal roofing, however, increases indoor temperatures above human comfort levels, and thus makes it more likely that residents will not use an insecticide-treated bed net (ITN) at night. Whether the colo...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMC
2021-10-01
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| Series: | Malaria Journal |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12936-021-03951-4 |
| _version_ | 1819116793890865152 |
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| author | Majo Carrasco-Tenezaca Ebrima Jatta Musa Jawara John Bradley Margaret Pinder Umberto D’Alessandro Jakob Knudsen Steve W. Lindsay |
| author_facet | Majo Carrasco-Tenezaca Ebrima Jatta Musa Jawara John Bradley Margaret Pinder Umberto D’Alessandro Jakob Knudsen Steve W. Lindsay |
| author_sort | Majo Carrasco-Tenezaca |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background In rural sub-Saharan Africa, thatch roofs are being replaced by metal roofs. Metal roofing, however, increases indoor temperatures above human comfort levels, and thus makes it more likely that residents will not use an insecticide-treated bed net (ITN) at night. Whether the colour of a metal roof affects indoor temperature and human comfort was assessed. Methods Two identical, experimental houses were constructed with metal roofs in rural Gambia. Roof types were: (1) original bare-metal, (2) painted with red oxide primer or (3) white gloss, to reflect solar radiation. Pairwise comparisons were run in six, five-night blocks during the malaria season 2018. Indoor climate was measured in each house and multivariate analysis used to compare indoor temperatures during the day and night. Results From 21.00 to 23.59 h, when most residents decide whether to use an ITN or not, the indoor temperature of a house with a bare metal roof was 31.5 °C (95% CI 31.2–31.8 °C), a red roof, 30.3 °C (95% CI 30.0–30.6) and a white roof, 29.8 °C (95% CI 29.4–30.1). During the same period, red-roofed houses were 1.23 °C cooler (95% CI 1.22–1.23) and white roofs 1.74 °C cooler (95% CI 1.70–1.79) than bare-metal roofed houses (p < 0.001). Similar results were found from 00.00 to 06.00 h. Maximum daily temperatures were 0.93 °C lower in a white-roofed house (95% CI 0.10–0.30, p < 0.001), but not a red roof (mean maximum temperature difference = 0.44 °C warmer, 95% CI 0.43–0.45, p = 0.081), compared with the bare-metal roofed houses. Human comfort analysis showed that from 21.00 to 23.59 h houses with white roofs (comfortable for 87% time) were more comfortable than bare-metal roofed houses (comfortable for 13% time; odds ratio = 43.7, 95% CI 27.5–69.5, p < 0.001). The cost of painting a metal roof white is approximately 31–68 USD. Conclusions Houses with a white roof were consistently cooler and more comfortable than those with a bare metal roof. Painting the roofs of houses white is a cheap way of making a dwelling more comfortable for the occupants and could potentially increase bed net use in hot humid countries. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-22T05:22:44Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-86c1544428384e88a53a4af393e96ba6 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1475-2875 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-22T05:22:44Z |
| publishDate | 2021-10-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Malaria Journal |
| spelling | doaj.art-86c1544428384e88a53a4af393e96ba62022-12-21T18:37:40ZengBMCMalaria Journal1475-28752021-10-0120111010.1186/s12936-021-03951-4Effect of roof colour on indoor temperature and human comfort levels, with implications for malaria control: a pilot study using experimental houses in rural GambiaMajo Carrasco-Tenezaca0Ebrima Jatta1Musa Jawara2John Bradley3Margaret Pinder4Umberto D’Alessandro5Jakob Knudsen6Steve W. Lindsay7Department of Biosciences, Durham UniversityNational Malaria Control ProgrammeMedical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical MedicineLondon School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, MRC International Statistics and Epidemiology GroupDepartment of Biosciences, Durham UniversityMedical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical MedicineSchools of Architecture, Design and Conservation, The Royal Danish Academy of Fine ArtsDepartment of Biosciences, Durham UniversityAbstract Background In rural sub-Saharan Africa, thatch roofs are being replaced by metal roofs. Metal roofing, however, increases indoor temperatures above human comfort levels, and thus makes it more likely that residents will not use an insecticide-treated bed net (ITN) at night. Whether the colour of a metal roof affects indoor temperature and human comfort was assessed. Methods Two identical, experimental houses were constructed with metal roofs in rural Gambia. Roof types were: (1) original bare-metal, (2) painted with red oxide primer or (3) white gloss, to reflect solar radiation. Pairwise comparisons were run in six, five-night blocks during the malaria season 2018. Indoor climate was measured in each house and multivariate analysis used to compare indoor temperatures during the day and night. Results From 21.00 to 23.59 h, when most residents decide whether to use an ITN or not, the indoor temperature of a house with a bare metal roof was 31.5 °C (95% CI 31.2–31.8 °C), a red roof, 30.3 °C (95% CI 30.0–30.6) and a white roof, 29.8 °C (95% CI 29.4–30.1). During the same period, red-roofed houses were 1.23 °C cooler (95% CI 1.22–1.23) and white roofs 1.74 °C cooler (95% CI 1.70–1.79) than bare-metal roofed houses (p < 0.001). Similar results were found from 00.00 to 06.00 h. Maximum daily temperatures were 0.93 °C lower in a white-roofed house (95% CI 0.10–0.30, p < 0.001), but not a red roof (mean maximum temperature difference = 0.44 °C warmer, 95% CI 0.43–0.45, p = 0.081), compared with the bare-metal roofed houses. Human comfort analysis showed that from 21.00 to 23.59 h houses with white roofs (comfortable for 87% time) were more comfortable than bare-metal roofed houses (comfortable for 13% time; odds ratio = 43.7, 95% CI 27.5–69.5, p < 0.001). The cost of painting a metal roof white is approximately 31–68 USD. Conclusions Houses with a white roof were consistently cooler and more comfortable than those with a bare metal roof. Painting the roofs of houses white is a cheap way of making a dwelling more comfortable for the occupants and could potentially increase bed net use in hot humid countries.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12936-021-03951-4MalariaSub-Saharan AfricaHousingRoofsIndoor temperatureHuman comfort |
| spellingShingle | Majo Carrasco-Tenezaca Ebrima Jatta Musa Jawara John Bradley Margaret Pinder Umberto D’Alessandro Jakob Knudsen Steve W. Lindsay Effect of roof colour on indoor temperature and human comfort levels, with implications for malaria control: a pilot study using experimental houses in rural Gambia Malaria Journal Malaria Sub-Saharan Africa Housing Roofs Indoor temperature Human comfort |
| title | Effect of roof colour on indoor temperature and human comfort levels, with implications for malaria control: a pilot study using experimental houses in rural Gambia |
| title_full | Effect of roof colour on indoor temperature and human comfort levels, with implications for malaria control: a pilot study using experimental houses in rural Gambia |
| title_fullStr | Effect of roof colour on indoor temperature and human comfort levels, with implications for malaria control: a pilot study using experimental houses in rural Gambia |
| title_full_unstemmed | Effect of roof colour on indoor temperature and human comfort levels, with implications for malaria control: a pilot study using experimental houses in rural Gambia |
| title_short | Effect of roof colour on indoor temperature and human comfort levels, with implications for malaria control: a pilot study using experimental houses in rural Gambia |
| title_sort | effect of roof colour on indoor temperature and human comfort levels with implications for malaria control a pilot study using experimental houses in rural gambia |
| topic | Malaria Sub-Saharan Africa Housing Roofs Indoor temperature Human comfort |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12936-021-03951-4 |
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