scar Andrs Daz Caballero - 201511695

Insecurity at night close to the University of the Andes

The University of the Andes is located in the downtown of Bogot. Therefore, the

area around it may be dangerous at night, since there are a lot of insecurity problems in

Bogot. A substantial number of students leave the university late at night, and the guards

cant protect them in the whole area. The downtown of Bogot is a really huge area, but the

loneliest sectors with the worst public lightning are the most afflicted by the insecurity

problems that everyone faces nowadays in Bogot.

Even though there are worse areas in Bogot, the problem in this area is directly

related to something that could be solved, the darkness of this place at night. Studies have

shown that the lack of lighting in areas where some security has been implemented can lead

to robbery, in spite of the fact that there are people watching. Therefore, it could be said that

there is a severe problem with lighting and surveillance in the whole area around the main

buildings of the University of the Andes.

The solution of this problem is quite simple in terms of electric engineering since the

University of the Andes has a PPA with the electric company of Bogot. A PPA is a power

purchase agreement in which the buyer agrees to pay for a fixed amount of electric power, in

exchange for an immovable price even in times of electricity shortage. The university could

build a huge light circuit around the Espinosa Park, which would help to reduce the crime

rates at night. The PPA that uniandes has with Codensa, the company in charge of power

distribution in Bogot, means that the university would be able to supply the power for this

circuit at a really low price.

scar Andrs Daz Caballero - 201511695

The implementation of this proposal would be relatively easy since uniandes owns

most of the terrain around the main buildings, and has a fixed price for electricity at every

moment of the year. The construction of the infrastructure may take a while, but as seen

before, some of the contracts that are needed for the construction of the public lighting are

already made, so this would speed up the implementation a little bit. Finally, all those lights

in the Espinosa Park would improve safety around the university at night, boosting the

welfare of the students and making them feel safe whenever they go to their houses after a

long they of work.