15 CLIMATILE by Takazuri: Most Innovative Roofing & Cladding Material 2025 - Africa Stumbling across the Million Cool Roofs Challenge in London – a global competition designed to speed up deployment of solar-reflective (‘cool’) roofs in countries with heat stress – Maria Schlesinger knew she had found the next chapter in her career as a product designer. Together with her husband Chris, a solar entrepreneur, and her long time friend and fellow designer, Adel Kassem, the trio established Takazuri in 2020. We sat down with her for more on Climatile™, their patented new roofing solution created from plastic waste. Sustainability has always been a huge part of Maria’s work as a product designer – with her previous exploits including building a business selling luxury bags created from recycled inner-tube tyres, which were then sold across the US and Europe. When she was first introduced to the Million Cool Roofs Challenge in 2019, Maria had also been working as an interior designer in both London and California, where her love for construction began to take shape and guide her to pursue an earthbuilding training programme with CAL-Earth. The Million Cool Roofs Challenge prompted the Takazuri team to see shelters through a new lens, one that connected resilience and self-sufficiency in a way they hadn’t considered before. It raised a fundamental question in a time of climate uncertainty: what should a shelter provide to truly allow people to be more self-sufficient? For them, the answer came down to three essentials: comfortable indoor temperatures, access to water, and access to energy. And because the roof is the first line of defence against the elements, it made sense to start here. If a roof could do more - cool better, collect water safely, and integrate solar more easily - then the entire idea of resilience could shift from something reactive to something built-in. This became the starting point for redefining what a modern roof should be capable of. The next challenge was going to be HOW. They agreed it had to be sustainably done to lessen the footprint in our ecosystem, and began to explore the integration of plastic waste material. From there, an extensive R&D process began. Initially supported by Innovate UK, this expanded to technical collaborations with BASF in Germany and Gabriel Chemie in Austria on colour and advanced additives, anchoring the development of Climatile’s IP in global expertise and rigorous engineering. By 2022, the first prototype emerged. In 2023, Takazuri filed international patents and showcased the technology during the UN Plastics Treaty Negotiations in Nairobi. In 2024, after meeting international material standards, Climatile entered commercial production supported by a P4G grant. It quickly proved itself across Kenya’s diverse climates, from arid northern regions to coastal humidity and Nairobi’s dense urban settings. This year they have been recognised as one of Fast Company’s Best World Changing Ideas and early next year, Climatile will even feature on CBS Television’s ‘Visioneers’, which showcases eco-heroes. Commenting on the impact this solution has had, Maria told us: “Climatile shows what’s possible when recycled plastic, advanced chemistry, smart design and strong partnerships come together. It’s essentially elevating recycling into true upcycling – transforming downgraded waste into a super-material that, through smart design, delivers superior performance in its application.” Climatile offers a systems approach to building, one that moves away from more traditional brick-and-mortar methods. A genius interlocking mechanism allows the tiles to create a walkable, leak-free surface, suitable for both roofing and cladding. The snap-fit system makes installation quick and simple, cutting time by about 40% and reducing demand for high skilled labour. The Climatile system offers ultra-light Solar panels, 79% lighter than conventional panels but just as efficient, cutting structural requirements and cost. It can also support standard solar where needed. In both cases, panels integrate seamlessly without affecting roof integrity. In Kenya they have demonstrated that circularity works at scale when relationships based on knowledge sharing are built across the chain and training is offered to everyone, from waste pickers to manufacturing partners. In today’s interconnected world, it’s encouraging to see circularity taking hold in emerging markets like Kenya. “The rise of groups like the Nairobi Climate Network and the Kenya Green Building Society has been hugely positive – giving us platforms to engage, educate, collaborate, and raise awareness across the sector.” While operations have begun in Kenya, Climatile is designed for global markets, aligning with international standards and suited to a wide range of climates and building types. Climatic performance is engineered in. High reflectance and emittance help cool interiors naturally, while the design performs reliably even at a low roof pitch of 10°. In just over a year, Takazuri has built a strong team to serve their global ambition, with talented leaders bringing the system from pilot projects to a full portfolio of installations across residential, commercial, and ecotourism sectors. This growing team reflects the company’s ethos: high-performance design, practical problem solving, and a deep respect for the people who make Climatile possible - from waste pickers, recyclers, and manufacturing partners to installers and technicians. Thus, the future is bright for Takazuri as it grows its footprint beyond Kenya, with a licensing model even set to be rolled out in the USA in Q3 2026. A translucent tile and a new colour palette are also scheduled for release, with many more surprises to come. Given Climatile roofing is the perfect solution from new builds to retrofits and permanent to semi-permanent structures alike, it is safe to say that this efficient, sustainable roofing system made from climate-resilient building materials is one of a kind. Whilst some companies are merely riding the coattails of sustainability’s increasing presence within the construction sector, Takazuri LTD is different. Its provision of plastic recycled roofing tiles marks the next leap forwards in Africa’s built environment and it is our pleasure to reflect this by recognising the innovation of Climatile roofing in this issue. Contact: Maria Schlesinger, CEO Email: [email protected] Company: Takazuri LTD Web Address: https://www.takazuri.com/
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