Urban Planning and Clean Energy in NYC

[Ryan Jose]

When I read through these articles, it gave me a broader definition of urban planning. It’s interesting how when a city is first “born” it performs the most basic of needs to run a government, economy and house people. As the city grows advanced and more people, technology and ideas move in, addressing the needs of the city becomes much more of a challenging job. Urban planners can no longer have a narrow-minded view of the city. It’s not just a city to engineer but rather one to serve all types of communities as it involves the democratic participation of social activists, politicians, environmentalists, businesses and of course, the general public. The city then behaves more like a living and breathing “organism”.

After reading these articles I came to an interesting realization that urban planning can tie in very nicely to the clean energy sector in New York City. This idea came to mind when I kept hearing the work efficiency in the section on deferential technicist planning. Efficiency can literally refer to anything, including energy efficiency in New York City. I came to learn about energy efficiency through an organization called Engineers Without Borders at CCNY. In our domestic, New York City focused project, we focus on implementing cleaner energy systems in buildings. The process of reducing energy usage in the city is not only the undertaking of urban and energy engineers but also the handiwork of politicians, activists, and businesses. It’s not about offering temporary solutions, but rather sustainable ones that will ensure that future generations in the city can experience the same thing as we have today. Finally, energy has more to do with social justice than we think. It’s critical for companies to consider who they target first. When non-profits upgrade their energy systems, they reduce the costs of electricity and gas bills. This, in turn, means that the money saved can truly go towards fulfilling their mission such as providing for underserved communities. All in all, the way we think about energy efficiency in an urban system not only entails the technical engineering principles, but also the social reform and social justice that come alongside it.

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