Peyman Yousefi Dissertation Defense - Residential Water Use
Attend Peyman Yousefi's dissertation defense for "Beyond the Averages: Heterogeneity in Residential Water Use in an Arid Region" on Friday, November 20th at 9:00 AM.
Location: Online
Format: Microsoft Teams
Faculty advisors:
- Rubab Saher, Ph.D. (Department of Forestry & Natural Resources)
- David J. Yu, Ph.D. (Lyles School of Civil and Construction Engineering)
Water conservation is a growing challenge in arid cities like Las Vegas, where a large share of residential water is used outdoors. Yet, not all households use water in the same way. Some experience significant increases during summer, while others maintain relatively consistent consumption throughout the year. These differences are often overlooked when water management decisions rely on citywide averages.
This research addresses this heterogeneity by looking beyond those averages to understand how residential water use varies across households and neighborhoods, and what factors are associated with these differences. Using a multi-method approach that combines large-scale clustering, machine learning, statistical modeling, and remote sensing, the study analyzes water use records from approximately 280,000 households between 2015 and 2020, linked with property characteristics, hydrometeorological conditions, socioeconomic information, and aerial imagery.
The research explores three key questions: How do household water-use patterns differ and change over time? What factors are associated with outdoor water consumption across neighborhoods? And how does the relationship between residential vegetation and water use vary among properties?
By uncovering these differences, the research aims to provide a more detailed understanding of residential water demand and help inform more targeted, data-driven approaches to water conservation and planning.
