Acceptability of cool roofs: a qualitative study in Nouna, Burkina Faso

Structural passive cooling interventions such as cool roofs are used to reduce indoor ambient temperature. However, it is unknown how acceptable and desirable cool roof technology is in rural low-income settings in sub-Saharan Africa, where home occupants are exposed to rising indoor temperatures.

We engaged 48 participants in four focus group discussions to explore the factors influencing the acceptability of "cool roofs" in Nouna, Burkina Faso. We analysed the data using reflexive thematic analysis. We structured our findings using the acceptability framework developed by Sekhon, Cartwright and Francis (2017), which comprises seven components: affective attitude, burden, perceived effectiveness, ethicality, intervention coherence, opportunity costs, and self-efficacy.

Our participants described an environment of extreme heat and the need for adaptation strategies to reduce the temperature within their homes. The cool roofs would be deemed acceptable if they were affordable, effective in reducing heat, and aligned with values around self-efficacy, particularly in relation to local production and ownership.

Providing communities with technical information regarding how the cool roof functions and can be maintained may support uptake via acceptability. Desirability of the roof may be achieved via a combination of highlighting the indoor cooling of the roof as reported by users, sharing of results with the community so that they have an insight into the effects of the roof, and feedback regarding the products useability and durability.