Posts by Rishi Ajmera
A Connected City
My future design is a take on how I see the future cities being created. We are moving to a more interconnected world where access between structures will likely increase and there will be paths that connect multiple buildings at once. I have seen this concept in Hong Kong, where one strip or walkway connects hundreds of corporate offices and allows for people to meet and connect much more easily. At the same time I created a tunnel at the bottom because I see underground infrastructure increasing. As space becomes more valuable, and the need for storage increases, we might be delving into underground buildings that will allow for temporary housing/office environments. There are some more safety concerns that come with underground infrastructure, however, the hope with the future is that we will be able to create the means for safe environments in the space.
Is time better spent on preparing for energy consumption versus attempting to lower it?
Many studies focus on attempting to decrease average energy consumption while also attempting to make it efficient. Most of the information conducted in reports, such as PlaNYC, exemplifies that energy usage has only increased with time and as technology is further integrated into our culture, it will only continue to do so. There are two ways of interpreting the data that is presented: quantity and acceleration. The amount, or quantity, of energy consumption has only gone up over time and will likely continue to do so. However, it is the rate of acceleration which has decreased over the past few years and where the social improvement can be made. If municipalities invest in a more efficient infrastructure grid, that works on a large scale, then 20 or 30 years down the road we will be able to manage our energy consumption far better than we are today. Instead of making a futile attempt to lower energy consumption, isn’t it better that we try to prepare for it?
Comments by Rishi Ajmera
"I understand the point you make about budget shortfalls that prevent New York City from implementing policies such as solid waste disposal. However, if you take a closer glance at the spending habits of municipal government, they actually do invest a decent sum of capital into projects to promote sustainable living, especially under the Bloomberg administration. However, the allocation is divided amongst a great deal of causes and therefore many of them are not nearly as effective as they could be if they focus on fewer areas. For example, if the city were to cut off certain sustainability efforts and allocate more to areas such as solid waste disposal, it would likely yield a more favorable result. The only difficulty it faces is being able to decide where to cut off and where to allocate more money, while keeping citizens happy."
--( posted on Feb 17, 2014, commenting on the post
To Internalize Waste Disposal or Not? )
