Scaling Climate-Resilient Housing Solutions Across India's Informal and Formal Urban Settlements

Urban housing systems globally are critical sites of climate vulnerability and emissions mitigation, with buildings contributing 37% of energy-related carbon emissions and cooling demand projected to triple by 2050 (UNEP, 2023; IEA, 2018). India exemplifies this condition. Its housing stock spans informal settlements excluded from climate investment and formal housing lacking accessible retrofit pathways. Indoor temperatures in informal settlements reach 36–38°C, while rising air-conditioning adoption is increasing energy demand and emissions in formal housing. Policy responses remain focused on redevelopment, displacing residents and failing to address existing heat stress.

This session presents two case studies in Mumbai. Passive cooling retrofits across 110 informal households reduced indoor temperatures by 2–5°C without permits, enabled through community governance. In a 280-household cooperative, EDGE-certified retrofits achieved 41% energy savings and 232.78 tCO₂ reduction at $210 per household. The findings demonstrate that climate resilience can be achieved through in-situ retrofitting, offering scalable pathways for Global South cities.