Urban Power Centres

Photo 1

Photo 2

The above photos shows a view overlooking the Port of Spain area, from Westmoorings, while the second photo shows an overhead photo which was taken from an airplane. Both photos show a lovely well lit sight that forms across the landscape. But lets look deeper!!

Why does the capital city need all of that lighting? After all it follows the urban model set forward Harris and Ulman, so the CBD should not have that many inhabitants at night, yet it seems to have the most lighting. 

Most of the lighting is used for advertising, aesthetics and security purposes. But even as a security measure, better alternatives can be used such as camera systems, or even using only half the lighting. This is compounded by Mycoo(2006), who states that,"The upsurge of crime in the poststructural adjustment years of the 1980s is associated with drastic cuts in public spending, unemployment, and poverty that became entrenched among the masses." This simply shows that the rising crime ha led to increased security being needed to cope with possible robberies or looting.

The photos shows high energy consumption by the residents and business owners alike, heightened by the Regulated Industries Commission has ranked Trinidad and Tobago as having a level of energy consumption per capita in 2011 of 6,264 kWh per annum, the 28th highest consumption per capita level in the world..

These problems are only made worst by the fact that almost all of the energy used in the urban areas comes from conventional power generation practices which includes the burning of fossil fuels, and not much alternative sources of energy. These power generation methods expel high concentrations of gasses which contribute to global warming and the smog which often covers the city area.

There must be stricter regulations put in place around energy consumption, as the low cost may be one of the driving factors behind the high consumption patterns. Also more solar panels can be introduced to power these lighting fixtures instead of using traditional methods of power generation.

References:

1. The retreat of the upper and middle classes to gated communities in the poststructural adjustment era: the case of Trinidad Michelle Mycoo
   http://myelearning.sta.uwi.edu/file.php/32678/mycoo_2006_Trinidad_gated_communities.pdf
   
2. PROMOTING ENERGY EFFICIENCY
   http://www.ric.org.tt/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Promoting-Energy-Efficiency.pdf