EcoRoute @ UVA

A smart, map-based routing app, designed for the UVA community, that calculates carbon emissions for transportation modes and encourages low-carbon choices through behavioral design.

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🌱 EcoRoute @ UVA

Inspiration

At the University of Virginia, sustainability is a major priority through the 2030 Climate Action Plan—but daily transportation decisions are still driven by speed and convenience, not environmental impact.

We realized:

  • Students want to be sustainable
  • But they lack visibility into the impact of their choices
  • And existing apps (Google Maps, Apple Maps) don’t prioritize carbon

So we asked:
What if the default route wasn’t the fastest—but the greenest?

What it does

EcoRoute transforms everyday navigation into a sustainability tool:

  • Carbon-Aware Routing
    Calculates COâ‚‚ emissions for each transportation mode

  • Multi-Modal Comparison
    Compare car, carpool, bus, biking, and walking options

  • Behavioral Nudging
    The lowest-emission option is automatically highlighted

  • Transit Integration
    Uses GTFS data to show real bus routes and stops

  • Impact Tracking
    Track COâ‚‚ saved, tree equivalents, and sustainability streaks

  • Trip Logging
    Build awareness through historical trip data

How we built it

Frontend

  • Next.js 14 (App Router)
  • TypeScript
  • Tailwind CSS

Mapping & Routing

  • Google Maps API (Directions + Places)

Transit Data

  • GTFS feeds parsed into optimized JSON

Backend

  • API routes for:
    • Carbon scoring
    • Trip logging
    • Directions proxy

Data Storage

  • Supabase (optional)
  • localStorage fallback

Core Logic

  • Custom carbon scoring engine using EPA emission factors

Challenges we ran into

  • Transit Data Complexity
    GTFS data required heavy preprocessing to be usable in real time

  • Carbon Accuracy vs Simplicity
    Balancing realistic emissions with fast calculations

  • Performance
    Keeping routing + scoring fast for a smooth UX

  • Behavioral Design
    Encouraging better choices without being intrusive

Accomplishments that we're proud of

  • Built a fully functional end-to-end app during a hackathon
  • Integrated real routing + transit + emissions modeling
  • Designed a system that nudges sustainable behavior
  • Aligned directly with UVA’s climate goals

What we learned

  • Small UX decisions can significantly influence behavior
  • Sustainability becomes meaningful when it’s personalized
  • Real-world datasets are powerful—but messy
  • Users don’t need more data—they need better defaults

What's next for Hoo Let the COâ‚‚ Out

  • Mobile-first or native app experience
  • Personalized recommendations based on habits
  • Expansion to other campuses and cities
  • Gamification (leaderboards, rewards, challenges)
  • Integration with campus systems and transit passes

Final Thought

EcoRoute doesn’t just show routes—it reshapes decisions.

By making the sustainable option the default, we turn everyday travel into meaningful climate action.

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