Heat stress: Adaptation measures in South African informal settlements

Globally extreme weather events are experienced most acutely in cities. While formal settlements can respond to such events, informal settlements are often vulnerable and ill-prepared. 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.