First Adaptation Fortress transforms cyclone shelter to provide heatwave protection, with potential to scale to 1,250 structures
The Jameel Observatory–Climate Resilience Early Warning System Network has begun construction of its first Adaptation Fortress in Satkhira district, southwest Bangladesh. The initiative transforms existing cyclone shelters to provide protection from heatwaves for the first time in Bangladesh.
The Jameel Observatory-CREWSnet, cofounded by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Community Jameel, announced the launch of the Adaptation Fortress initiative, which repurposes schools that serve as cyclone shelters to function as sanctuaries during extreme heat events.
If this pilot is successful, the initiative could scale to 1,250 Adaptation Fortresses with additional funding, providing heatwave relief to half a million of the region’s most vulnerable residents.
Over 30 million people live in southwestern Bangladesh. Between 2019 and 2021, multiple cyclones hit the region, devastating land, homes and entire communities. Hundreds of thousands of people were forced to flee and agricultural land and drinking water supplies were flooded and contaminated by saltwater, resulting in a public health emergency as well as the loss of livelihoods.
Mohammed Abdul Latif Jameel on Climate Resilience
Mohammed Abdul Latif Jameel, founder of Community Jameel, said the construction marks a milestone for Bangladesh and the region.
“The Jameel Observatory-CREWSnet’s construction of this first pilot Adaptation Fortress marks a milestone for Bangladesh and the region,” Mohammed Jameel said. “It lays the foundation for a proactive response to cyclones and heat stress – emergencies that the team has projected will become frequent events, threatening the lives of millions in Bangladesh. By adapting infrastructure today, we are building the resilience needed for tomorrow.”
The threats posed by climate change mean that people living in this region are likely to face similar crises in the years ahead. Rising sea levels and more extreme weather compound existing vulnerabilities, while extreme heat puts people at risk of dehydration and heatstroke.
Children are particularly affected. The United Nations in Bangladesh found that heatwaves caused nationwide school closures for two weeks in 2024. Some districts saw schools closed for six to eight weeks due to the combined impact of heatwaves and flooding.
Dual-Purpose Infrastructure Model
The Jameel Observatory-CREWSnet used its mid-century climate projections and analysis of local human systems to design the multi-purpose, multi-objective structure. The climate resilient shelter model is the first of its kind in Bangladesh and aims to serve as a blueprint for infrastructure development across South Asia.
Adaptation Fortresses feature solar power generation and battery backup systems to ensure the shelter is resilient to outages during extreme heat conditions. The sites also include rainwater harvesting capacity and are designed so that excess energy generated when air conditioning is not in use is made available for community use.
The pilot fortress is being built at the Baradal Aftab Uddin collegiate school in Baradal union, Assasuni sub-district, Satkhira district. The site currently serves as a school throughout the year and as a cyclone shelter during government-declared emergencies. The building is a central community hub, within close walking distance to the local market, health clinic and union parishad building.
A second pilot location has been selected at Satbaria high school in Satbaria union, Keshabpur sub-district, Jashore district.
Professor Elfatih Eltahir, lead principal investigator of the Jameel Observatory-CREWSnet, said Bangladesh built a vast network of cyclone shelters that have been effective in protecting vulnerable population. “For the first time the Jameel Observatory-CREWSnet is introducing the concept of shelter from heatwaves as well as cyclones in southwest Bangladesh,” he said. “This integrated and proactive initiative will significantly improve climate resilience in a region with some of the highest risks from climate change.”
Dr. Deborah Campbell, executive director of the Jameel Observatory-CREWSnet, said Bangladesh is getting hotter and will experience more frequent and severe heatwaves, leaving many people very vulnerable to heat stress and lacking the resources to adapt. “The Adaptation Fortress initiative will provide shelter for the most vulnerable community members in southwest Bangladesh and has the potential to serve as a model for similar proactive climate resilience infrastructure development across Bangladesh and South Asia,” she said.
The pilot fortress’ performance will be evaluated based on community surveys during the heat season, operational feedback from the school committee, energy generation and air conditioning usage meters and hyper-local weather data. This evaluation will inform any follow-up project on modification and expansion of the initiative across southwest Bangladesh.
The Jameel Observatory-CREWSnet was launched in 2022 at COP27 in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt. The project began following a 2019 visit to Bangladesh by a Community Jameel delegation led by Mohammed Jameel, during which the team met with leaders from BRAC and learned about the challenges posed by climate change for people living in southwest Bangladesh.
Community Jameel subsequently joined with MIT to cofound the Jameel Observatory-CREWSnet. One of MIT’s five Climate Grand Challenges flagship projects, the initiative brings together scientists and humanitarians from MIT, including the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab; BRAC; the International Water Management Institute; and Sudan’s Agricultural Research Corporation.
The Jameel Observatory-CREWSnet was selected as an innovation package by the Agricultural Innovation Mechanism for Scale at COP28 in Dubai in 2024. AIM for Scale, chaired by Nobel laureate Professor Michael Kremer, seeks partnership and investment into selected innovation packages.
