Analyzing Audiovisual Equipment Sustainability Upgrades
This study evaluated the impacts of the Summer 2025 audiovisual (AV) equipment upgrades across eleven classrooms at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), balancing quantitative energy performance with qualitative…
This study evaluated the impacts of the Summer 2025 audiovisual (AV) equipment
upgrades across eleven classrooms at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA),
balancing quantitative energy performance with qualitative stakeholder experiences and expert
input.
To address how upgraded campus technology can support institutional sustainability
goals, an energy audit was conducted across two trial learning spaces: Kaplan A26, a smaller
classroom environment, and the Physics and Astronomy Building (PAB) 2434, a large lecture
hall. Quantitative assessments of power and draw before and after the overhaul revealed a
significant reduction in energy consumption: Kaplan A26 achieved a 58.96% reduction in power
(Watts) and an 18.03% reduction in draw (Amps), while PAB 2434 demonstrated a 64.30%
reduction in power and a 55.58% reduction in draw, proving that A V upgrades effectively lower
grid demand.
To gauge user outcomes, a survey capturing the perspectives of over 300 students and
faculty using the upgraded rooms was conducted. The data indicated that 45.40% of students
remained unaware of the upgrades; however, 49.50% of students reported a measurable
reduction in technology-related classroom interruptions. Faculty feedback yielded an overall Net
Promoter Score (NPS) of 42, reflecting general satisfaction with the pilot equipment.
Finally, semi-structured interviews with industry manufacturers, Sony and Crestron,
contextualized our campus findings. Sony highlighted a 10-18% reduction in active power
hardware via circular manufacturing, while Crestron emphasized driving behavioral changes
through automated systems to reduce energy footprints.
Stakeholder: Joe Way, Executive Director of Digital Spaces
Team Leaders: Brenda Macuil and Ximena Zepeda
Team Members: Olivia Bonevich, Norah Dahlkamp, Elisabeth Floyd, Ava Sauer, Tiffany Vega