Campus Audit Squad: Plug Loads and Behavior

This project challenges teams of students to explore and investigate buildings on campus, perform energy audits, and create a comprehensive report of their findings. This project aids in understanding textbook theory and provides students with the opportunity to use expert testing equipment to match theory with actual outcome. With proper preparation and training, the energy audit can be performed during the two-hour class period and can also be adapted to a more in-depth study later in the school year. Students with experience in this kind of study are able to correlate the topic discussed with the tangible experience and outcomes. Students looked at the energy use of every appliance, computer, printer, coffee maker, refrigerator, photocopier, heater, fan and so on in the University of Oregon Department of Architecture office over 4 weeks using plug load dataloggers. They created a YouTube video of their findings and presented it to 400 peers at the ASHRAE Annual Conference.