CoolBlock

Inspiration

Extreme heat can vary block by block, but most people cannot see it and even fewer know how to act on it. I built CoolBlock to turn an invisible climate problem into a simple conversation.

What it does

CoolBlock is an iMessage agent that turns an address into local climate action. It reveals how hot your block gets, creates a neighborhood heat map, and lets you upload a street photo to imagine it with more trees. It then helps homeowners or renters take the next step toward getting a tree planted.

How I built it

I combined satellite imagery, AI vision and image generation with Photon 2.0 to create an experience that works entirely through iMessage. Cursor helped me build, test and refine the agent quickly.

Challenges I faced

The hardest part was turning complex satellite data into information people could understand and trust. I also focused heavily on reliability, ensuring failed external services never interrupted the conversation.

What I learned

Climate data becomes far more powerful when it feels personal. Showing someone their own block and immediately offering a realistic action can transform awareness into change.

What’s next

I want to expand CoolBlock to more cities, connect it directly with local tree programs and help communities identify where new shade could have the greatest impact.

Built With

• climatetech
• computervision
• cursor
• gemini
• generativeai
• googleai
• imessage
• landsat8
• landsat9
• node.js
• openstreetmap
• photon2.0
• planetarycomputer
• satellitedata
• sharp
• sustainabilty
• typescript