Apartment Energy Tracking
SAR’s Apartment Energy Tracking team partnered with UCLA Housing to audit the Boulevard Apartments and uncover ways to cut energy use and advance campus sustainability goals.
Managing and tracking energy use is a vital aspect of UCLA Housing and Hospitality’s sustainability plan. Improving energy efficiency can help UCLA reach the goals listed in its Climate Action Plan and Energy Conservation Program, as well as provide both long-term economic and sustainable benefits.
UCLA Housing has noticed that the Boulevard Apartments at 1500 Granville Avenue and 1515 Granville Avenue have displayed unusually high energy consumption for the size and occupancy of the buildings. Our project aims to establish a baseline energy audit based on the hours of operation for all appliances throughout the building and the known energy efficiency of different appliance models used in the building. We hope to accomplish this through our compilation of audit data, housing data, and information obtained
from building managers.
Our research answers: How can we establish a baseline for energy usage at UCLA’s Boulevard apartments? and: How do residents and housing staff at the Boulevard think energy usage can be managed? We used a focus group with Housing departmental heads, a resident survey, several informational interviews, and an energy audit of 1500 Granville to answer these questions. Our methods reveal energy usage habits of some residents and issues that maintenance has experienced when managing the building. Our findings include potential improvements to the Boulevard, such as more efficient lighting, thermostats, and other appliances, which have the potential to curb energy usage.
Stakeholder: Brianna Moncada, Sustainability Manager, UCLA Housing and Hospitality
Team Leaders: Selena Yu and V Malian
Team Members: Diya Gopinath, Liam Jenny, Clairese Wright, Leah Acosta, Kayla Yeung