UCLA center creates first interactive electricity-use map of Los Angeles

A new energy map of Los Angeles developed at UCLA’s California Center for Sustainable Communities. lets residents find how much electricity the average customer in their neighborhood uses, see how a neighborhood’s energy use relates to its average income level and track energy use over time.  The map was released March 28, 2013 is the most interactive map of Los Angeles’ energy use ever developed. The center used commercial and residential customer data from the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) and collaborated with the California Governor’s Office of Planning and Research to produce the map.  “At a time when we are making unprecedented investments in energy efficiency and have set a goal to use at least 10 percent less energy by 2020, this detailed view of electricity use in L.A. will allow the Department of Water and Power and its customers to make smarter decisions about conservation, investment and planning,” said LADWP General Manager, Ronald O. Nichols.  Researchers from the UCLA center hope the map will help policymakers pinpoint the best locations for future energy-efficiency programs, show residents whether they are using more or less energy than their neighborhood average and highlight the important links between land use and energy use, among many other applications. The map is available athttp://sustainablecommunities.environment.ucla.edu/map.