Why Do So Many Buildings Stay Lit All Night in Urban Cities?
I live in a retirement home. Our lights are on all night for security reasons. This is how a part of the outside of the building looks when the lights are on. This picture was taken early in the morning before sunrise, captured by my friend and co-resident Vasuki Rao.
Some of us who are early risers go for a walk, and many do not leave the building. We walk all around the building a...
Security and Lighting in Urban Areas
Commercial and industrial buildings often have a lot of lights on at night for two main reasons. First, there is security. You need to be able to see people who shouldn’t be there to either address the situation or move security personnel if needed. This enhances safety and reduces the risk posed by unauthorized individuals.
Secondly, they might be in full operation all night. Many industrial processes are very expensive to start and stop both in terms of time and materials, so they run continuously whenever possible. Warehouse facilities move goods in and out at whatever time makes the most sense for scheduling. Even offices can be open all night to provide customer support and service. The Internet Service Provider (ISP) I use to access this posting almost certainly has their help desk staffed around the clock. Their equipment vendors will too.
Energy Waste and Regulatory Strategies
The energy waste from leaving lights on all night is a result of poor regulation and pricing by government regulators. Currently, time-of-use rates are not high enough between midnight and 5 AM to motivate businesses and individuals to turn off unneeded lights. For instance, cleaning crews need light only where they are physically present, and motion detectors and time delays can easily manage lighting needs. However, the current electric rates are not high enough to make these investments pay off.
Mankind really needs to clean up our act on energy waste in all areas. Transportation should be 1/8th the energy it uses, but government is resisting because the measurement is GDP instead of well-being. Wasting energy increases GDP but does not improve our well-being, it only worsens it through increased air pollution and other negative impacts.
Leaving on all those useless lights shows up as an increase in GDP, masking the true impact on our environment and health. By addressing this issue, we can make significant strides towards a more sustainable future.
Conclusion
In conclusion, while lighting is necessary for security and operational needs, misguided regulatory policies contribute to energy waste. Implementing more effective time-of-use rates and incentivizing the use of energy-efficient lighting systems can help reduce this problem and promote a more sustainable urban environment.