Transforming Lives with Cool Roofs. Real Stories from India

Meet Sakuntala’s Family

Sakuntala, a stay-at-home mother of three, had struggled all her life since her husband died when her sons were small so she had to take care of them herself. She only managed to move into her own house in January 2024.
 

“Before the coating, the heat was so intense that we often had to sleep outside under a tree. We couldn’t even enjoy our indoor kitchen because the heat was unbearable. We had to cook on a mud stove outdoors,” shared Ms. Sakuntala. After hearing about Excel CoolCoat through their church community, they decided to try it.

“Now, everything has changed! We can cook in comfort, and our indoor space has become a sanctuary rather than a source of stress. I no longer sweat while cooking, and we can finally use fans inside without feeling like we’re in an oven,” she recalls.

The cost for the coating was affordable and paid by the savings of the family. “I think the price is more than reasonable given the immense improvement in our living conditions. If anyone asks, I would wholeheartedly recommend it, as it has transformed our home into a place of comfort and peace,” she added with a smile.

Terwilliger Center for Innovation in Shelter: A Catalyst for Change

Recognizing the challenges they faced in reaching potential customers who could benefit from their product, Excel Coatings formed a strategic partnership with Habitat for Humanity’s Terwilliger Center for Innovation in Shelter. The Terwilliger Center is a unit of Habitat for Humanity that focuses on enhancing affordable housing solutions worldwide by fostering inclusive housing markets through innovative finance and market systems approaches. With the support of the Hilti Foundation, which supports the center’s efforts in India, the cool roof project has gained momentum. 

With the Terwilliger Center’s guidance, the company identified a significant barrier: “Many low-income families thought these products were too expensive or not meant for them. But this heat-reflective coating is very affordable, costing less than other insulation and cooling options,” reflected the Director, Mr. Vidhyaprakash. To shift this perception, the center worked with Excel Coatings to implement a comprehensive strategy to improve direct consumer engagement, over traditional business-to-business (B2B) sales. To accomplish this, they leveraged innovative marketing strategies, including digital campaigns and influencer collaborations, which helped Excel Coatings expand its reach significantly. 
 

 “As a small company, it was tough to compete with industry giants. We knew our product had potential, but lacked the resources to reach a larger audience. The partnership with the Terwilliger Center gave us the financial and technical support we needed. In just three months, we saw 75% growth in direct sales, with product awareness skyrocketing. People began recognizing our product from videos—visibility we could never have achieved on our own,” recalls the Director.

Moreover, the Terwilliger Center encouraged Excel Coatings to execute pilot projects that showcased the effectiveness of their product in real-world settings. These demonstrations provided tangible evidence of the benefits, allowing potential customers to witness firsthand how the coating significantly improved indoor thermal comfort.

This data-driven marketing approach proved pivotal for Excel Coatings, enabling them to convert skeptics into loyal customers. The partnership not only enhanced Excel’s visibility in the market but also played a critical role in changing consumer attitudes toward heat-reflective solutions. 

As the Director reflected: “With support from the Terwilliger Cener, the reach of the product skyrocketed, and the awareness went beyond expectations thanks to social media and influencer marketing. Across multiple platforms, social media promotion and influencer marketing, the total views of the ads were over 11 million people with about 1.6 million engagements. People started recognizing our product, saying they’d seen our videos—this kind of visibility was something we never could have achieved on our own.” 

This strategic alliance has been instrumental in positioning Excel Coatings as a key player in the affordable housing industry in India, while making a meaningful difference in the lives of many families.

“Through the Terwilliger Center, we finally reached low-income households who didn’t even know such a product existed. It was eye-opening to learn how much they needed it, but [had always] thought it was too expensive. We then introduced a more affordable, eco-friendly version—half the price but with nearly the same performance. The impact was profound, especially for families who struggle to stay cool. For many, owning a home is a dream, and ensuring thermal comfort should be an attainable necessity rather than an impossible luxury,” summarizes Mr. Vidya Prakash.

Read more about how this innovative product is transforming the lives of real families across India in these articles.

For those curious about the science and innovation behind Excel CoolCoat and how it is making life cooler, especially in India’s harsh climates, we encourage you to start with the first article How Excel CoolCoat is Making Life Cooler in India.

If you’d like to see the faces behind the stories—families and communities whose lives have been changed—and learn how TCIS played a pivotal role in boosting Excel CoolCoat’s mission, the article Excel CoolCoat: A Game-Changer for Heat-Stricken Families is a must-read.