UCLA Reduces Energy Use

audacy wireless

UCLA has achieved a 35 percent savings in their overall electrical lighting load after retofitting Audacy’s lighting control devices into existing infrastructure.

As one of the world's leading universities, the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is committed to environmental responsibility and sustainability. Part of that commitment is ensuring that all energy is used wisely.

Kevin Borg is UCLA’s assistant athletic director for facilities and project management. He is charged with driving maximum performance from each facility across the school’s intercollegiate programs. Borg also is accountable for stewarding the budget needed to build and run each facility in an increasingly demanding economic and regulatory environment.

California’s tough new Title 24 regulations demand that organizations with largescale buildings, campuses, and facilities networks prove they are reducing energy usage across their operations each year. The Energy Information Administration reports that lighting can be up to 40 percent of an organization’s energy bill each year—a statistic that rings true with Borg.

After easily retrofitting Audacy’s wireless devices into existing light fixtures and infrastructure, UCLA used simple occupancy/vacancy, task tuning, and dimming approaches to achieve a 35 percent savings in their overall electrical lighting load. The Audacy system provides the UCLA facilities managers the ability to manage, monitor, and adjust their organization’s lighting system from a laptop, tablet, or smartphone from anywhere in the world.

Over the 12-month test period, Borg and his team consistently delivered at least a 35 percent reduction in total energy usage “just by delivering the right amount of light to the right room at the right time.” Borg explains, “The most efficient light is one that is off. So, we’re now set up to automatically program lights to turn off when a room isn’t being used.”

“It’s a game-changer,” says Borg. “The Audacy system allows us to optimize both our lighting and energy usage from building to building. It’s simple. Intuitive. Effective.”

www.audacywireless.com

This article originally appeared in the College Planning & Management April/May 2019 issue of Spaces4Learning.

Featured

  • University of Oklahoma Announces New Campus Master Plan

    The University of Oklahoma in Norman, Okla., recently announced that it will soon launch a new, comprehensive Campus Master Plan to guide the campus’ physical development during the next decade, according to a news release.

  • University of Pittsburgh to Build New Residence Hall

    The Board of Trustees from the University of Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh, Penn., recently approved the construction of a new residence hall for first-year students, according to university news.

  • Northeastern University Breaks Ground on New Housing Community

    Northeastern University recently announced the groundbreaking of a new student housing community on its campus in Boston, Mass., according to a news release. The university is partnering with American Campus Communities (ACC) for development of the project, which will have the capacity for 1,200 students and has a scheduled completion date of fall 2028.

  • Cal Poly Humboldt Starts Construction on Healthcare Education Hub

    California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt in Arcata, Calif., recently announced that work has begun on a renovation project that will turn the Stewart Building into a new Healthcare Education Hub, according to a news release. The university is partnering with Sundt Construction Inc. for construction services.