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Community Corner

UCLA Researchers Map Energy Use in Los Angeles

See which Venice neighborhoods consume more power and how they compare to the rest of L.A.

UCLA researchers introduced an interactive map on Thursday that shows Department of Water and Power customers the average amount of electricity by people in their neighborhoods over an 18-month period and provides a tool for policy-makers to analyze energy use throughout the city.

The map offers a look at the progression of electricity usage by residents and businesses from January 2011 until June 2012 and connects that usage to income levels and the average age of buildings in any given Census block in the city.

Details about whether the energy consumption occurred in a residential, commercial or industrial part of town can also be called up on the map.

Find out what's happening in Venice-Mar Vistawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

UCLA researchers said the information will allow policy-makers to determine where best to implement energy-efficiency programs.

"Residents and utilities have never had the capacity to look at energy like this before," according to Stephanie Pincetl, a professor at UCLA's Institute of the Environment and Sustainability.

Find out what's happening in Venice-Mar Vistawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

DWP General Manager Ron Nichols said the public can use the map to "make smarter decisions about conservation, investment and planning."

By checking the map and comparing it to their bills, residents can see if they are using more or less power than their neighbors.

City officials have set a target to reduce electricity use by at least 10 percent by 2020.

"This is the first time that we're really able to see what consumption patterns are in the city," according to UCLA researcher and map creator Jacki Murdock. "It really helps reveal the connections between land use and energy demands, and can help decision-makers better plan the energy grid to address future demand."

The map was a collaboration by UCLA's California Center for Sustainable Communities, the DWP and the California Governor's Office of Planning and Research.

Click here to the see map.

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