Ahmedabad: Making homes cooler with modular roofing

Hasit Ganatra, founder, Pal Re Materials Pvt Ltd

Meena, a slum-dweller, lived in a slum in Odhav area of Ahmedabad in a home roofed with tin and cement sheets. When her husband suffered a severe heatstroke and had breathing problems within the house, she became concerned about her kids and began looking for a solution to replace the roof.

Through an NGO, Meena learnt about an Ahmedabad-based startup, Pal Re Materials Private Limited, which manufactures mod-roofs – that help bring down indoor temperatures by at least 4 degrees. After installing it in her home, she realised that the indoor temperature in her home had reduced and her husband’s health improved.

Past Journey: An electronics engineering graduate from Madras University and postgraduate in microchip design from University of Southern California, Hasit Ganatra, initially founded a solar lighting company. However, after working in rural areas of Uttar Pradesh, he realised the need for better roofing solutions to control indoor temperatures in extreme climatic conditions. “This prompted me to conduct a survey across some 600 families in Gujarat, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and Karnataka, to understand the challenges in poor housing conditions, after which I began research on roofing solutions in 2013. It was in 2014 when I incorporated the company,” said Ganatra.

The startup aims to provide high quality shelters and homes to lower-income groups in India and has developed a roofing solution known as Modroof – which is a modular roofing solution. “It is fast to install and is equally strong and durable. It is made using composite materials from waste and is 92% recyclable. Since no water is used for construction of the roof, it reduces the CO2 emissions,” Ganatra explained.

One of the peculiar features of the Modroof is that it lowers indoor temperatures by 6-8 degrees against metal or cement roofs and thus, is used in a variety of applications. The company currently has a 30,000 square feet facility in Changodar with in-house R&D and manufacturing set-up. With a team of 75 people, the company has operations in Ahmedabad, Mehsana, Vadodara and Surat.

Next Steps: Having served clients in Nadiad, Gandhinagar, Mahemdabad, Sanand and Viramgam apart from Ahmedabad, Pal Re Materials, has made some 500 installations so far. The company has also worked with a city-based community-based organisation for implementation of Ahmedabad Heat Action Plan in urban slums of the city by providing sustainable roofing solutions. The company was recommended by Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to be among a select few social entrepreneurs to be covered. Going forward, the startup plans to expand into markets such as Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Delhi.

Challenge: Fund raising has remained a challenge, says Ganatra. “Viability of the project was widely questioned because the target group involved is lower-income groups. That apart, finding the right team that aligns with the company’s goals is another challenge,” he added.

Secret to Success: We remained focus on the mission of the company and that is what binds the entire team. “We haven’t opted for shortcuts and have been consistent in our approach to deliver the best possible roofing solutions,” said Ganatra.