Up to 7 heritage homes and a kindergarten are being upgraded to keep residents safer and cooler during extreme heat.
Traditional wooden homes can reach 39°C indoors, putting older residents and children most at risk. Improvements in shading and ventilation are making homes safer and more comfortable for daily life.
Heritage homes and a local kindergarten are being upgraded with heat-reflective paint and ventilation improvements.
These changes reduce indoor temperatures without altering the traditional look of the buildings.
The project raises awareness of heritage-friendly, climate-resilient housing solutions.
To build a picture of each community, the Resilience for Communities (R4C) program used risk mapping, open-data sources, expert interviews, community surveys and focus groups. This assessment used the Climate Resilience Measurement for Communities (CRMC) tool to assess community resilience to extreme heat and flooding - helping to identify priorities and design solutions.
Sources of resilience — Cooler, safer homes strengthen the community’s human, physical, and financial capital.
Human
Physical
Financial
Improves comfort and reduces health risks from heat stress, especially for older residents.
Uses durable, heat-reflective materials that protect homes while keeping their historic charm.
Reduces energy costs for cooling and limits damage from heat-related deterioration.
Impact multipliers — Resilience solutions have a different mix of impact multipliers and impact multiple systems, businesses and societies. Together, multipliers produce anamplified impact.
Improved public health
Lower heat stress risks, particularly for residents most exposed to extreme heat.
Access to cool spaces
Keeps homes safe and liveable during prolonged hot days.
Community awareness
Shows how traditional homes can be adapted to climate change without losing identity.
How does this solution make a difference? – Addressing prioritized shocks and stresses
Heat
Aging population
Aging infrastructure
Protecting against high indoor heat
Many wooden houses in Kampung Morten trap heat, reaching unsafe indoor temperatures. Reflective paint and ventilation lower this risk, making homes safer for everyday living.
Making homes safer for older residents
Older residents are especially vulnerable to heat stress. By improving thermal comfort, upgrades help protect their health and well-being.
Revitalising heritage homes
Preserving the look of traditional houses while making them cooler restores pride in Kampung Morten and shows how cultural heritage and resilience can grow together.
Indoor and Outdoor Temperature in Kampung Morten (Source: Community Heat Assessment, Nanyang Technological University, 2025)
Demographic Profile of Kampung Morten with High Proportion of Elderly Residents (Source: Jawatankuasa Pembangunan dan Keselamatan Kampung (JPKK), Kota Laksamana)
Kampung Morten Community Voices on How They Experience Heat (Source: Community Heat Assessment, Nanyang Technological University, 2024)
