Magra Fibre Makes An Impact For Cool Roofs

Bihar, like many other states in India, has been witnessing record-breaking temperatures in recent years. According to data from the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Buxar recorded a staggering 47.2°C in June 2024. As extreme heat events become more frequent, solutions like cool shelters offer a lifeline to vulnerable communities struggling to cope with rising temperatures.

At the Bihar Diwas 2025, inaugurated by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on March 22, 2025 a unique innovation aimed at tackling the intensifying heatwaves in the state was showcased. A fibre from Rajasthan – the Magra fibre – was used as insulation for a cool shelter. The story of this pastoral wool fibre traces back to SEEDS (Sustainable Environment and Ecological Development Society) and its contribution to the India Humanitarian Hub initiative, which aims to build climate resilience through local innovation. As part of this effort, Urmul, in collaboration with Samakhya Sustainable Alternatives, repurposed discarded sheep wool by combining indigenous knowledge with technological inputs.

The aim was to create solutions that support self-reliance, sustainability, and fit within the social systems of local communities. Today, Magra’s regenerative pastoral fibres offer an effective and eco-friendly option for thermal and acoustic insulation.

SEEDS has been developing and refining cool shelters over the years, experimenting with sustainable materials and structural adaptations to improve their effectiveness against extreme heat. In 2023, the organisation piloted a series of bamboo shelters across Delhi, offering much-needed respite to the city’s most heat-exposed populations – rickshaw pullers, rag pickers, and construction workers. Constructed primarily using eco-friendly bamboo, these shelters leveraged the material’s natural cooling properties to create breathable, shaded spaces in urban heat islands.

The impact of the latest iteration of the cool shelter that used this Magra fibre in Patna was evident. On March 25, 2025 when the outside temperature reached 44 degrees Celsius, the temperature inside the shelter remained 38 degrees Celsius, marking a notable reduction of 5 to 6 degrees Celsius.

“We should spread the word as much as possible for such innovations. It should reach the villages and be made available to them, as it can provide relief from extreme heat,” said Uday Kant Mishra, Vice Chairman of BSDMA.

Expanding the reach of cool shelters, making them accessible to more communities across India is important as another hot summer lies ahead. As Bihar and other states brace for another sweltering summer, the role of sustainable, low-cost cooling solutions is increasingly crucial.