MADFLUX

Cities occupy only a small fraction of the Earth's surface, yet they consume a disproportionate share of energy and resources. As urban areas expand, concrete-heavy development, reduced vegetation, and disrupted airflow turn cities into heat traps—impacting health, equity, and environmental sustainability.

MADFLUX is a student-led community initiative at PSBB KKN, Chennai, created to address these challenges through science, innovation, and collective action.

Urban Heat Islands (UHIs) occur when natural land surfaces are replaced by buildings, roads, and pavements that absorb and retain heat. This leads to:

• Higher local temperatures

• Increased energy demand for cooling

• Poor air quality

• Reduced outdoor comfort and wellbeing

UHIs disproportionately affect vulnerable communities and intensify the impacts of climate change in cities.

MADFLUX bridges the gap between theory and real-world impact by combining:

• Digital Twin modeling

• CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) simulations

• Live environmental sensing

• On-ground implementation

We call this integrated model the Virtual Physical Thermal Environment Replica (VPTER).

Using VPTER, we identified heat-stressed areas on our school campus and redesigned them as Urban Refresh Zones—spaces that actively reduce heat and improve comfort.

Each URZ is planned virtually before being built physically, ensuring efficiency, scalability, and measurable impact.

What was once a barren, heat-absorbing space has been transformed into a cooler, breathable environment featuring:

• Vertical gardens and native vegetation

• Bermuda grass and permeable surfaces

• Fogger-based evaporative cooling

• Optimized wind-flow corridors

This transformation demonstrates how thoughtful design can reshape microclimates.

The VPTER integrates multiple layers of analysis:

• Wind speed and direction modeling

• Surface and ambient temperature mapping

• Placement optimization for foggers and greenery

• Water efficiency and airflow simulations

This allows us to test, refine, and scale solutions before physical deployment.

EvapFog Tiles are a low-cost, passive cooling solution designed for hot climates.

How they work:

• Double-layered porous terracotta structure

• Sodium polyacrylate retains moisture

• Heat triggers evaporation, reducing surface temperature

Results:

• Significant cooling compared to concrete

• No electricity required

• Locally manufacturable and scalable

MADFLUX follows a phase-wise implementation model:

• PSBB KKN Pilot (Completed): ₹96,525

• Campus Expansion Phase: ₹1,80,000

• Locality-Scale Deployment: ₹18–27 lakh

This makes the model affordable, replicable, and suitable for schools, campuses, and neighborhoods.

Key challenges and solutions included:

• Plant stress: Use of heat-resilient native species and fogger automation

• Monsoon flooding: Elevated systems and drainage simulations

• Funding: Community-driven, low-budget execution

• Maintenance: Student-led monitoring and weekly assessments

• Water usage: Integration with rainwater harvesting

Each challenge strengthened the system design.

Community surveys revealed:

• Average perceived temperature reduction of 3.5°C

• 65% preference for green pathways

• 82% willingness to participate and volunteer

Beyond cooling, the project enhanced mental wellbeing, aesthetics, and community ownership.

Symbiotic Air Catharsis Module A conceptual system that captures indoor CO₂, converts it into usable energy, and supports air purification—creating a partially self-sustaining loop.

Flood Mitigation Concepts Mathematical drainage and underground storage models designed to reduce urban flooding, developed as part of student research initiatives.

MADFLUX is designed to scale:

• From micro-spaces to neighborhoods

• From campuses to entire localities

• Through open tools like QGIS and OpenFOAM

Knowledge, designs, and learnings are shared openly to encourage replication.

MADFLUX is more than infrastructure—it is a movement.

• Student-led awareness programs

• Environmental drives and clean-up initiatives

• A growing digital presence and blog

• Continuous dialogue with the local community

The project thrives on participation and shared responsibility.