Making Home-based Work Environments Safer, Healthier and Productive: Promoting Energy Efficiency and Climate Resilience (Brief 2)

This brief was created by City Collab as a part of WIEGO’s documentation of Mahila Housing Trust’s (MHT) work to capture insights on their work that has had wide ranging impacts on the wellbeing and economic productivity of home-based workers. This brief on promoting innovations for thermal comfort is the second thematic brief in the ‘Promoting energy efficiency & climate resilience’ category.

Studies show that slum houses are usually warmer than nearby housing societies, resulting in thermal discomfort and loss of productivity for the residents. Accumulation of pollutants such as smoke, dust, ash and even chemicals is hazardous, especially for home-based workers who spend a greater time at home. There is also limited knowledge among these communities on extreme environmental conditions and innovative ways and tools to adapt to them. The brief documents MHT’s work in promoting adoption of climate resilient technologies and its research and advancing advocacy in the climate and energy sector.