Space Planning Live Density Program
As a component of UC San Diego's space planning initiatives, the Live Density Program seeks to improve access to floor occupancy information, provide valuable insights to space managers and stakeholders for more efficient space utilization and enhance emergency response capabilities:
- Executive Vice Chancellor – Academic Affairs, Space & Capital Planning
- Vice Chancellor – Health Sciences, Planning and Space Management
- Vice Chancellor – Marine Sciences, Capital Planning and Space Management
- Vice Chancellor – Operations Management and Capital Programs, Campus Administrative Space Management
Space managers across vice chancellor areas employ various tools and metrics to assess space data. No universal benchmark or standard applies to all spaces; each department, program, principal investigator, administrative unit and campus service has distinct preferences and space requirements. UC San Diego's space planning initiatives strive to enhance understanding of academic, research and administrative spaces, facilitating fair and equitable space analysis and planning.
Space Planning and Live Density Town Hall – Oct. 4, 2023
Access on OneDrive with UC San Diego Single Sign-On.
See the Live Density Program FAQ.
Background
In 2018, the project team initiated a Request for Information (RFI) process and assessed various live-density solutions. The team evaluated the value and cost of several platforms and selected Occuspace for a pilot program.
UC San Diego initiated pilot trials for the live density program in high-traffic, public-serving spaces like Geisel Library, RIMAC and dining facilities. Within this initiative, students and community members can utilize the UC San Diego mobile app and the vendor’s site to gauge waiting times while scheduling their trips to libraries, dining options and fitness centers, enhancing the experience for our faculty, students, and staff.
Currently, the university is studying the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on work culture, which has led many departments to embrace flexible work arrangements. Space managers use density data to gain insights into space utilization and make informed and equitable decisions regarding its optimal use going forward.
The Live Density Program is a component of the overall space management framework. UC San Diego space managers and stakeholders use multiple qualitative and quantitative analyses to make informed recommendations about space allocations. For example, UC San Diego uses several standard methods in a university setting to gather data, including badge swipes, visual observations, surveys, Wi-Fi and network analysis, threshold sensor and parking sensors.
Expansion and Implementation Workgroup
Following a temporary installation pause in summer 2023, an Occuspace Live Density Program Expansion and Implementation Workgroup was chartered to oversee the implementation of the Occuspace Live Density expansion within UC San Diego. The Live Density Program aims to improve access to space utilization information for space planning and stakeholders to optimize space utilization, improve efficiency and enhance the overall experience of our physical work environment.
Data Collection
The Occuspace Live Density Program collects occupancy data for entire building floors or clusters of spaces rather than individual offices or cubicles. Sensors are spaced at intervals of approximately 3,000 square feet. The data gathered is combined at the floor level to calculate density in relation to the number of available seats over a given period.
Student employees manually count people in all supported spaces to help the system learn how to estimate crowd sizes accurately. This approach allows the system to account for those without smartphones, tablets or wireless devices or devices with inactive Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connections. Occuspace sensors then use these counts and active Bluetooth and Wi-Fi signals to estimate how many people are present, mixing technology and manual checks for reliable numbers. The sensors detect Bluetooth and Wi-Fi device signals to calculate room occupancy, capturing specifics like the device's unique identifier (MAC address), detection time and signal strength. As the MAC address can uniquely identify a device and potentially a person, it is immediately substituted with a random number known as a hash value. The sensor temporarily stores only this anonymized number.
Occuspace algorithms consider the presence of multiple devices per individual by analyzing over 20 distinct variables. This analysis includes factors, such as the proximity of anonymous devices to each other and whether these devices are moving in unison or independently.
Live density sensors use the campus wireless device network through a dedicated virtual local area network (VLAN). This network is segregated from all other wireless networks to safeguard users' genuine and hashed MAC addresses. The sensors transmit approximately one kilobyte of data at any given moment, which has no measurable impact on network bandwidth.
Security
UC San Diego prioritizes data security and complies with all established university policies and protocols. You can find further details regarding Occuspace's privacy and security information for details:
Individuals can decline participation in this or other Wi-Fi-enabled programs by deactivating their devices' Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connections. It's important to note that turning off these connections will limit access to certain university resources.
Accuracy
Although the sensors would not show who is in a building, they can provide high confidence in the number of people—it can estimate the number of people with over 90% accuracy. The Occuspace Live Density Program collects occupancy information for the floor of a building, not for individual offices or cubicles.
Data Use and Access
The university uses this technology to manage space efficiently and will not use the data for any purposes other than space management and planning. Furthermore, the data will not be used to infer individuals' identities or to track attendance.
UC San Diego will not provide the data to third parties (unless required by law or university policy). See UC San Diego's Live Density Program – Guideline and Use Protocol.
The occupancy information is only available to space administrators and campus leaders involved in space planning.
The live occupancy information related to public realm spaces is published—students and community members can use the UC San Diego mobile app and the vendor’s site to assess wait times as they plan their visits to libraries, dining halls and gyms, providing a better experience for our faculty, students and staff.
Unused Spaces
One of the primary objectives of the Occuspace Live Density Program and other initiatives related to campus space management and planning is to improve understanding of how space is utilized, ensuring that campus spaces are allocated equitably and used optimally, now and in the future. Discussions about future plans will be held at the department and school levels and within each vice chancellor area.
Sensor Locations
In 2018, UC San Diego implemented a Live Density Program in more than 50 campus buildings. In fall 2023, a program expansion proposed to cover most administrative, academic and research spaces, but excludes clinical areas, student residences and other facilities.
Note: Planned installation dates are subject to change.
See a district map.
District | Address | Building Name | Installed Sensors | Proposed Expansion |
---|---|---|---|---|
Campus Services Complex | 9791 Greenhouse Lane, La Jolla, CA 92093 | Campus Services Complex - Building C | 1st Floor | N/A |
Campus Services Complex | 9821 Greenhouse Lane, La Jolla, CA 92093 | Campus Services Complex - Building D | 1st Floor | N/A |
Eleanor Roosevelt | 3000 Voigt Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093 | Social Sciences Building | 1st Floor, 2nd Floor, 3rd Floor, 4th Floor, 5th Floor |
Installed April 2024 |
Eleanor Roosevelt | 10006 Scholars Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093 | Cafe Ventanas | 1st Floor | N/A |
Eleanor Roosevelt | 9834 Hopkins Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093 | San Diego Supercomputer Center | Basement, 1st Floor, 2nd Floor, 3rd Floor, 4th Floor |
Installed April 2024 |
Eleanor Roosevelt | 9836 Hopkins Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093 | San Diego Supercomputer East Expansion | Basement 1, Basement 2, 1st Floor, 2nd Floor, 3rd Floor |
Installed April 2024 |
Eleanor Roosevelt | 9842 Hopkins Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093 | San Diego Supercomputer Office Addition | 2nd Floor, 3rd Floor, 4th Floor, 5th Floor |
Installed April 2024
|
Health Sciences East | 9452 Medical Center Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093 | Altman Clinical Translational Research Institute | Lower Level 3, Lower Level 2, Lower Level 1, 1st Floor, 2nd Floor, 3rd Floor, 4th Floor | Installed March 2024 |
Health Sciences West | 3100 Biomedical Sciences Way, La Jolla, CA 92093 | Sally T. WongAvery Library | 1st Floor, 2nd Floor | N/A |
Health Sciences West | 3120 Biomedical Sciences Way, La Jolla, CA 92093 | Biomedical Sciences Building | 1st Floor, 2nd Floor, 3rd Floor, 4th Floor, 5th Floor | Installed March 2024 |
Health Sciences West | 3130 Biomedical Sciences Way, La Jolla, CA 92093 | W. M. Keck Building | 1st Floor | Installed March 2024 |
Health Sciences West | 3147 Biomedical Sciences Way, La Jolla, CA 92093 | Biomedical Research Facility II | 1st Floor, 2nd Floor, 2nd A Floor, 3rd Floor, 4th Floor, 4th A Floor, 5th Floor | Installed March 2024 |
Health Sciences West | 3190 Biomedical Sciences Way, La Jolla, CA 92093 | School of Medicine Building 4 | 1st Floor | Installed March 2024 |
Health Sciences West | 9230 Pharmacy Lane, La Jolla, CA 92093 | Central Research Services | 2nd Floor, 3rd Floor | Installed March 2024 |
Health Sciences West | 9255 Pharmacy Lane, La Jolla, CA 92093 | Skaggs Pharmaceutical Sciences Building | Basement, 1st Floor, 2nd Floor, 3rd Floor, 4th Floor | Installed March 2024 |
Health Sciences West | 9375 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093 | Center for Neural Circuits and Behavior | 1st Floor, 2nd Floor, 3rd Floor | Installed March 2024 |
Health Sciences West | 9405 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093 | George Palade Laboratories for Cellular and Molecular Medicine | 1st Floor, 2nd Floor, 3rd Floor | Installed March 2024 |
Health Sciences West | 9435 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093 | Cellular and Molecular Medicine East | Basement, 1st Floor, 2nd Floor, 3rd Floor | Installed March 2024 |
Health Sciences West | 9461 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093 | Leichtag Family Foundation Biomedical Research Building | Basement, 1st Floor, 2nd Floor, 2nd Partial Floor, 3rd Floor, 3rd Partial Floor, 4th Floor | Installed March 2024 |
Health Sciences West | 9515 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093 | Medical Teaching Facility | Basement 1, 1st Floor, 2nd Floor, 3rd Floor, 4th Floor | Installed March 2024 |
Health Sciences West | 9575 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093 | Stein Clinical Research Building | Basement, 1st Floor, 2nd Floor, 3rd Floor, 4th Floor | Installed March 2024 |
Marshall | 3010 Exploration Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093 | Communication Building | 1st Floor, 2nd Floor |
Installed April 2024 |
Marshall | 3000 Muir Lane, La Jolla, CA 92093 | Peterson Hall | 1st Floor | N/A |
Marshall | 3019 Exploration Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093 | Social Sciences Research Building | 1st Floor, 2nd Floor, 3rd Floor |
Installed April 2024 |
Marshall | 3031 Exploration Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093 | Solis Hall | 1st Floor | N/A |
Marshall | 9788 Scholars Drive North, La Jolla, CA 92093 | OceanView Terrace | OceanView Terrace | N/A |
Muir | 2947 Muir Lane, La Jolla, CA 92093 | McGill Hall | Basement, 1st Floor, 2nd Floor, 3rd Floor, 4th Floor, 5th Floor |
Installed April 2024 |
Muir | 2970 Scholars Lane, La Jolla, CA 92093 | Humanities and Social Sciences | 1st Floor, 2nd Floor, 3rd Floor, 4th Floor, 5th Floor, 6th Floor, 7th Floor, 8th Floor |
Installed April 2024 |
Muir | 2985 Muir Lane, La Jolla, CA 92093 | Applied Physics and Mathematics | 1st Floor, 2nd Floor, 3rd Floor, 4th Floor, 5th Floor, 6th Floor, 7th Floor | Installed July 2024 |
Muir | 2990 Scholars Lane, La Jolla, CA 92093 | Biology Building | Basement, 1st Floor, 2nd Floor, 3rd Floor, 4th Floor, 5th Floor |
Installed April 2024 |
Muir | 2995 Scholars Lane, La Jolla, CA 92093 | Main Gymnasium | 1st Floor | N/A |
Muir | 9332 Eucalyptus Grove Lane, La Jolla, CA 92093 | Student Center A - Building H | 1st Floor | N/A |
Muir | 9350 Eucalyptus Grove Lane, La Jolla, CA 92093 | Student Center A - Building EN | 1st Floor | N/A |
Muir | 9358 Mandeville Lane, La Jolla, CA 92093 | Student Center B | 1st Floor | N/A |
Muir | 9390 Mandeville Lane, La Jolla, CA 92093 | Mandeville Center | 1st Floor and Basement | N/A |
Muir | 9545 Scholars Drive South, La Jolla, CA 92093 | Stewart Commons | 1st Floor and Basement | N/A |
North Campus | 10057 Scholars Drive North, La Jolla, CA 92093 | Otterson Hall | 1st Floor, 2nd Floor, 3rd Floor, 4th Floor |
Installed April 2024 |
North Campus | 10065 Scholars Drive North, La Jolla, CA 92093 | Wells Fargo Hall | 1st Floor, 2nd Floor, 3rd Floor, 4th Floor, 5th Floor |
Installed April 2024 |
North Campus | 10235 North Point Lane, La Jolla, CA 92093 | Outback Adventures | Outback Adventures | N/A |
North Campus | 10285 North Point Lane, La Jolla, CA 92093 | Spanos Athletic Performance Center | Spanos Athletic Performance Center | N/A |
North Campus | 9860 Hopkins Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093 | RIMAC | RIMAC | N/A |
North Torrey Pines Living and Learning Neighborhood | 9605 Scholars Drive North, La Jolla, CA 92093 | Mosaic | 1st Floor, 2nd Floor, and Basement | N/A |
Pepper Canyon | 3291 Voigt Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093 | Structural and Materials Engineering Building | 1st Floor, 2nd Floor, 3rd Floor, 4th Floor |
Installed April 2024 |
Pepper Canyon | 3302 Voigt Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093 | Canyonview Aquatic and Climbing Wall Facility | 1st Floor | N/A |
Pepper Canyon | 9435 Russell Lane, La Jolla, CA 92093 | Pepper Canyon Hall | 1st Floor, 2nd Floor, 3rd Floor, 4th Floor |
Installed April 2024 |
Pepper Canyon | 9457 Innovation Lane, La Jolla, CA 92093 | Foodworx | 1st Floor | N/A |
Pepper Canyon | 9510 Innovation Lane, La Jolla, CA 92093 | Design and Innovation Building | 1st Floor, 2nd Floor, 3rd Floor, and 4th Floor | N/A |
Revelle | 2980 Theatre District Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093 | Galbraith Hall | 1st Floor | N/A |
Revelle | 9240 Herbert York Lane, La Jolla, CA 92093 | York Hall | 2nd Floor and 4th Floor | N/A |
Revelle | 9249 Scholars Drive South, La Jolla, CA 92093 | 64 Degrees | 1st Floor | N/A |
Revelle | 9271 Scholars Drive South, La Jolla, CA 92093 | Natural Sciences Building | Basement, 1st Floor, 2nd Floor, 3rd Floor, 4th Floor, 5th Floor, 6th Floor |
Installed April 2024 |
Revelle | 9278 Eucalyptus Grove Lane, La Jolla, CA 92093 | Mayer Hall | 1st Floor, 2nd Floor, 3rd Floor, 4th Floor, 5th Floor |
Installed April 2024 |
Revelle | 9289 Scholars Drive South, La Jolla, CA 92093 | Urey Hall | Basement, 1st Floor, 2nd Floor, 3rd Floor, 4th Floor, 5th Floor, 6th Floor, 7th Floor |
Installed April 2024 |
Revelle | 9300 Eucalyptus Grove Lane, La Jolla, CA 92093 | Bonner Hall | 1st Floor, 2nd Floor, 3rd Floor, 4th Floor |
Installed April 2024 |
Revelle | 9301 Scholars Drive South, La Jolla, CA 92093 | Pacific Hall | Basement, 1st Floor, 2nd Floor, 3rd Floor, 4th Floor, 5th Floor, 6th Floor |
Installed April 2024 |
Revelle | 9325 Scholars Drive South, La Jolla, CA 92093 | Tata Hall | Basement, 1st Floor, 4th Floor, 5th Floor, 6th Floor |
Installed April 2024 |
Scripps Institution of Oceanography | 2130 Naga Way, La Jolla, CA 92093 | Center for Coastal Studies | 1st Floor, 2nd Floor, 3rd Floor | Installed March 2024 |
Scripps Institution of Oceanography | 8615 Kennel Way, La Jolla, CA 92093 | Sverdrup Hall | 1st Floor, 2nd Floor, 3rd Floor | Installed March 2024 |
Scripps Institution of Oceanography | 8635 Kennel Way, La Jolla, CA 92093 | Ritter Hall | 1st Floor, 2nd Floor, 3rd Floor, 4th Floor | Installed March 2024 |
Scripps Institution of Oceanography | 8650 Naga Lane, La Jolla, CA 92037 | Thomas Wayland Vaughan Hall | 1st Floor, 2nd Floor, 3rd Floor, 4th Floor | Installed March 2024 |
Scripps Institution of Oceanography | 8655 Kennel Way, La Jolla, CA 92093 | Scholander Hall | 1st Floor, 2nd Floor, 3rd Floor | Installed March 2024 |
Scripps Institution of Oceanography | 8750 Biological Grade, La Jolla, CA 92093 | Hubbs Hall | 1st Floor, 2nd Floor, 3rd Floor, 4th Floor | Installed March 2024 |
Scripps Institution of Oceanography | 8785 Biological Grade, La Jolla, CA 92093 | IGPP 4000 - Revelle Laboratory | 1st Floor, 2nd Floor, 3rd Floor | Installed March 2024 |
Scripps Institution of Oceanography | 8810 Shellback Way, La Jolla, CA 92093 | Nierenberg Hall | 1st Floor, 2nd Floor, 3rd Floor, 4th Floor | Installed March 2024 |
Scripps Institution of Oceanography | 8851 Shellback Way, La Jolla, CA 92093 | Keck Oceanographic and Atmospheric Research - 2 | 1st Floor, 2nd Floor, 3rd Floor | Installed March 2024 |
Scripps Institution of Oceanography | 8875 Biological Grade, La Jolla, CA 92093 | Isaacs Hall | 1st Floor, 2nd Floor, 3rd Floor | Installed March 2024 |
Torrey Pines | 10280 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037 | Torrey Pines Center South | 2nd Floor, 3rd Floor, 4th Floor | N/A |
Torrey Pines | 10300 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92093 | Torrey Pines Center North | Plaza Level, 1st Floor, 2nd FLoor, 3rd Floor | N/A |
Torrey Pines | 3333 North Torrey Pines Court, La Jolla, CA 92093 | 3333 North Torrey Pines Court | 1st Floor, 2nd Floor, 3rd Floor, 4th Floor | N/A |
University Center | 3183 Matthews Lane, La Jolla, CA 92093 | Science and Engineering Research Facility | 1st Floor, 2nd Floor, 3rd Floor, 4th Floor |
Installed April 2024 |
University Center | 9421 Mandeville Lane, La Jolla, CA 92093 | Career Services Center | 1st Floor | N/A |
University Center | 9448 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093 | Center Hall | 1st Floor | N/A |
University Center | 9460 Russell Lane, La Jolla, CA 92093 | Student Services Center | 1st Floor, 3rd Floor | N/A |
University Center | 9701 Hopkins Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093 | Geisel Library | 1st Floor, 2nd Floor, 4th Floor, 5th Floor, 6th Floor, 7th Floor, and 8th Floor | N/A |
Warren | 3164 Matthews Lane, La Jolla, CA 92093 | Center for Memory and Recording Research | 1st Floor, 2nd Floor, 3rd Floor |
Installed April 2024 |
Warren | 3235 Voigt Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093 | Computer Science and Engineering Building | Basement, 1st Floor, 2nd Floor, 3rd Floor, 4th Floor |
Installed April 2024 |
Warren | 3180 Voigt Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093 | Franklin Antonio Hall | Lower Level, 1st Floor, 2nd Floor, 3rd Floor, 4th Floor |
Installed April 2024 |
Warren | 3195 Voigt Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093 | Atkinson Hall | 1st Floor, 2nd Floor, 3rd Floor, 4th Floor, 5th Floor, 6th Floor | Installed April 2024 |
Warren | 3223 Voigt Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093 | Powell-Focht Bioengineering Hall | Basement, 1st Floor, 2nd Floor, 3rd Floor, 4th Floor |
Installed April 2024 |
Warren | 3224 Matthews Lane, La Jolla, CA 92093 | Warren Lecture Hall | N/A | N/A |
Warren | 3245 Voigt Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093 | Engineering Building Unit II | Basement, 1st Floor, 2nd Floor, 3rd Floor, 4th Floor, 5th Floor |
Installed April 2024 |
Warren | 9736 Engineers Lane, La Jolla, CA 92093 | Jacobs Hall | Basement, 1st Floor, 2nd Floor, 3rd Floor, 4th Floor, 5th Floor, 6th Floor, 7th Floor |
Installed April 2024 |
Warren | 9821 Equality Lane, La Jolla, CA 92093 | Canyon Vista | 1st Floor | N/A |
Program Management
The project team, comprised of stakeholders from Resource Management and Planning and Information Technology Services, oversees Occuspace's installation and integration of live density sensors. The Occuspace Live Density Program Expansion and Implementation Workgroup with academic and administrative representation from different vice chancellor areas will oversee implementation of the Occuspace Live Density expansion.
Questions?
If you have questions, comments or concerns, contact omcp@ucsd.edu.