Bhubaneswar’s Integrated Heat and Cooling Action Plan
Bhubaneswar became the first Indian city to launch an Integrated Heat and Cooling Action Plan (IHCAP). The plan addresses rising heat stress and soaring air-conditioning demand. India has faced worsening heatwaves for decades. These affect health, productivity, and energy use. Bhubaneswar’s IHCAP aims to break the cycle where heat increases cooling needs, and cooling worsens urban heat.
Heat Stress and Urban Challenges
Bhubaneswar experiences long heat seasons from February to October. Night-time heat has increased, reducing relief and raising health risks. The city recorded nearly 230 days of heat alerts in 2024. Urban growth has reduced vegetation by 10% and water bodies by 75% from 2018 to 2024. The urban heat island effect makes Bhubaneswar 2 to 5°C hotter than nearby rural areas. Outdoor workers lose 20-30% productivity due to heat. The city’s annual income dropped by 8.6% from heat stress. Air conditioning use doubled from 6% of households in 2021 to 15% in 2023, consuming one-third of electricity overall and two-thirds in summer.
Projected Future
Climate models predict that by 2050, cooling demand could rise 7.6 times under business-as-usual. Without intervention, energy use and emissions will increase, worsening heat and health impacts. The city must adapt to survive rising temperatures and humidity.
Core Strategies of Bhubaneswar’s IHCAP
The plan has five pillars:
- Cool the city – Increase greenery, restore water bodies, promote cool roofs, and redesign streets to reduce heat.
- Cool buildings – Enforce energy-efficient codes and climate-responsive designs to lower heat absorption.
- Sustainable cooling for all – Provide affordable, efficient cooling like fans, efficient ACs, district cooling, and white roofs for low-income homes.
- Enhance heat resilience – Strengthen electricity, water, and health systems; build cooling shelters; and provide cool public spaces.
- Adapt to heat – Update alert systems for humidity and night heat, insure vulnerable workers, and run awareness campaigns.
These measures could reduce surface temperatures by 0.5 to 9.4°C and cut cooling electricity demand by 44 to 67% compared to current trends.
Policy Integration and Scaling Up
IHCAP unifies India’s Cooling Action Plan and Heat Action Plan, which previously operated separately. This creates a holistic approach to heat and cooling challenges. However, scaling requires reforms. Building codes cover only a small share of new constructions. Master plans lack heat mitigation strategies. Updating NDMA guidelines and city planning is essential. With urban populations expected to reach 600-700 million by 2050, integrated heat management is vital to protect health, productivity, and equity.
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