Abstract:
Globally extreme weather events are experienced most acutely in cities. While formal
settlements can respond to such events, informal settlements are often vulnerable and illprepared.
Sub-Saharan Africa is rapidly urbanising with informal settlements that require
effective climate change adaptation measures. Two climate adaptation strategies for
informal dwellings are considered for their success under 2100 Intergovernmental Panel
on Climate Change (IPCC) climate scenarios. Using existing data collected from informal
dwellings in South Africa, the findings from a digital simulation study reveal that cool roof
paints can currently lower excessive heat stress conditions by 42–63% when applied to high
thermal mass dwellings with poorly insulated lightweight corrugated sheeting roofing.
However, for the future 2100 climate scenarios this strategy only lowers excessive heat
stress conditions by 12–17%. This calls for the development of integrated multifaceted
heat stress adaptation strategies for informal settlements in Sub-Saharan Africa.
