Our students excel and shine at the COIE Climathon 2024 Greater Toronto Area (GTA) weekend
A purposeful, solution-oriented climate hackathon advancing sustainable innovation, aligning with our Academic Plan, in partnership with the European Institute of Technology, and in collaboration with the City of Toronto.
The Climathon 2024 GTA held between October 25-27, 2024 provided participants with an impactful and action-driven experience focused on climate innovation and changemaking. Centennial students and community members showcased leadership and creativity, actively contributing to critical climate solutions. Centennial students demonstrated remarkable leadership and active participation in all three winning teams.
Climathon 2024 GTA: An Overview
The Climathon 2024 GTA, meticulously organized by the SDG Innovation Lab, Centre of Innovation and Entrepreneurship (COIE), Centennial Innovates and supported by the European Institute of Technology, and the City of Toronto, Climathon GTA 2024 empowered participants to address urgent environmental challenges in the Greater Toronto Area. This 2 ½-day hackathon emphasized sustainable innovation and provided an immersive learning journey aimed at achieving a zero-carbon, climate-resilient society.
This unique program made a substantial contribution to advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) while simultaneously nurturing future-oriented skills among its participants. It achieved this by immersing them in a collaborative, problem-solving environment, facilitated by experts and guided by Mentors at every stage.
Throughout this intensive event, eleven teams embarked on a transformative journey, commencing from scratch on a Friday, and remarkably, within just 2 1⁄2 days by Sunday, were able to conceptualize, develop, and present well-conceived solutions to a distinguished panel of Judges. This remarkable progress was facilitated by the application of cutting-edge methodologies that included flipped classroom techniques, experiential learning, team-based collaboration, and iterative experimentation using industry-leading approaches such as Design Thinking, Lean, and Agile—all deeply rooted in sustainability principles. These methodologies were diligently supported by a rich repository of in-house experts, external thought leaders, mentors, and industry trailblazers, all synergistically harnessing curated open resources to drive innovative and creative solutions to significant, real-world climate problems.
The Climathon 2024 GTA plenary was inaugurated by Jonathan Hack and Lalit Guglani, and featured a distinguished lineup of keynote speakers who provided deep insights into climate action and resilience:
- Sandra Odendahl, Senior VP and Head, Sustainability and Diversity, Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC)
- Bruce Taylor, Founder & President, Enviro-Stewards Inc.
- David Nicholas Oswald, Founder & President, DE Design + Environment Inc. and Associate Faculty, Royal Roads University
- Rae-Ann Miller, Project Director, Net Zero Buildings and Emission Standards, City of Toronto
These thought leaders set an inspiring tone for the weekend, redefining participants’ approaches to tackling pressing climate issues.
In alignment with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs), the program addressed two central topics, each presenting a critical climate-related challenge:
Topic 1: Solutions to Reduce Building Emissions
Topic 2: Solutions to Reduce Energy Consumption
Check out the detailed report of our Climathon 2024 GTA Topics too!
Alongside Design Thinking (inspired by Stanford/Ideo), the Lean LaunchPad® methodology – pioneered by institutions like Stanford University, Columbia Business School, and UC Berkeley – played a pivotal role in helping participants craft repeatable and scalable business models for their innovative solutions. It’s noteworthy that the Lean LaunchPad® methodology is taught in over 200 universities worldwide and forms the foundation of the U.S. National Science Foundation Innovation Corps program, setting the standard for commercializing scientific breakthroughs in the United States.
This comprehensive and thoughtfully designed event represented a convergence of talent, innovation, and cutting-edge methodologies. It fostered experiential and agile learning within a team environment where participants were not just learners but active contributors to peer learning. In summary, the Climathon 2024 GTA event represented a sophisticated and transformative experience that exemplified the best practices in contemporary education and problem-solving.
In addition to a strong student response that included participation from various colleges, the Climathon also featured faculty leadership and expertise from the various schools within Centennial (School of Engineering Technology and Applied Science, The Business School, School of Community and Health Studies, and School of Hospitality, Tourism, and Culinary Arts).
32 executive mentors from post-secondary institutes, government, corporations and community groups came and provided guidance and mentorship to the teams on themes, business ideas, pitches, developing virtual prototypes, and integrating advice and feedback throughout the design journey. At the end of the design jam, three teams were awarded prizes totaling $4,500 based on evaluation by the panel of esteemed judges below.
Our Winning Teams:
DeCarbo – Overall Winner
Project overview:
The “DeCarbo App” is a streamlined solution designed for Building Design and Construction companies seeking to connect with reputable suppliers and source high-quality, low-carbon materials quickly and efficiently. By focusing on reducing both time and costs, the DeCarbo App makes it easier to access sustainable building resources, helping companies improve their carbon emission rates without navigating the complexity or expense often associated with other platforms. This reliable, user-friendly tool supports the construction industry’s transition toward greener practices, ensuring that sustainable sourcing is accessible and cost-effective.
Teammates:
- Team Lead: Renuka Parmar (School of Community and Health Studies)
- Dahunsi Samuel (The Business School)
- Wing Man Lui
Green Guardians – 2nd Place
Project overview:
This intelligent energy management software is designed specifically for Ontario’s property managers, enabling them to reduce energy consumption, maximize savings, and enhance sustainability across diverse property portfolios. Unlike generic solutions, this AI-powered platform offers tailored insights to optimize energy performance for each property, seamlessly integrating with existing systems and supporting participation in Ontario’s demand response programs.
With automated monitoring, real-time insights, and smart meter integration, property managers can effortlessly track energy use and savings. Additionally, the software automates energy reduction during peak demand, not only helping to stabilize the grid but also creating an additional savings stream for clients. Offering a low-cost entry model and success-based pricing, this solution makes sustainability both accessible and financially rewarding for property managers throughout the province.
Teammates:
- Team Lead: Parmeet Singh
- Kirtiranjan Patel
Green Vanguards – 3rd Place
Project overview:
This IoT-enabled flood monitoring and response solution is designed to help GTA building owners enhance operational efficiency and minimize maintenance and repair costs. Through instant, sensor-triggered notifications and automated mitigation, the system enables proactive flood management, significantly reducing response time and damage risks.
Unlike traditional manual approaches, this solution leverages AI-driven technology accessible via a mobile app, minimizing human intervention and optimizing resource allocation. With real-time alerts and actionable insights, property owners can ensure preparedness and streamline responses to potential flood events, protecting both assets and occupants more effectively
Teammates:
- Team Lead: Varun Patel
- Cansu Erenler Tanis
What our Participants are Saying
The student experience in the Climathon 2024 GTA can be summarized as follows:
Participants found the experience to be inspiring, with a strong emphasis on teamwork and cross-cultural collaboration. Working alongside peers from diverse backgrounds helped expand their perspectives and enhanced project outcomes, fostering a sense of unity and purpose. Many participants felt empowered and more committed than ever to climate action, as they engaged in meaningful, high-energy brainstorming and learned valuable skills.
The program was facilitated by expert mentors, providing structured guidance on ideation, problem-solving, and the use of collaborative tools. For many, the weekend was transformative, reinforcing the importance of collaboration and the power of diverse insights in tackling global challenges. Participants described the event as enriching, motivational, and an invaluable opportunity for growth and climate-driven innovation.
Overall, the student experience was described as fulfilling, intense, and educational.
What our participants shared:
“Climathon was unforgettable! I was paired with an amazing teammate from a completely different background, and together, we formed not just a team of two strangers but a cross-continental collaboration. Working alongside someone with a fresh perspective expanded my view and strengthened our project immensely. The experience left me inspired, empowered, and more committed than ever to meaningful climate action.”
– Kateřina L., Climathon 2024 GTA Participant
“I learned a great deal from the diverse perspectives and expertise at the Climathon, and significantly expanded my network by connecting with passionate individuals and potential collaborators.”
– Mara Di L., Climathon 2024 GTA Participant
“This is my first Climathon! I never imagined I would be using my background with health and community development with sustainability initiatives. It helped me expand my knowledge in this topic I know little about. Also, working in a team of diverse skillset!”
– Climathon 2024 GTA Participant
“It was an interesting experience, my first Climathon. Never imagined so much would be possible in the span of a weekend! I’m usually one to take my time to get work done, but this event really pushed me to think hard and fast. Made a new connection along the way too! Will definitely be taking part if/when another is hosted.”
– Munachimso E., Climathon 2024 GTA Participant
“It was my first Climathon but felt like an expert by at the end of it!”
– Bayan S., Climathon 2024 GTA Participant
“Mentor guidance is important, not only ensuring directions, but also we learnt from these.”
– Shek Yu W., Climathon 2024 GTA Participant
“It was a great experience applying concepts like design thinking, PESTLE analysis, BMC etc. to guide on how we can think as individuals and a team on our topics and solutions.”
– Kimberly A., Climathon 2024 GTA Participant
“An opportunity to learn from each other on how to make our environment sustainable.”
– Ahmed S., Climathon 2024 GTA Participant
“Unite, generate ideas, and take actions to address the issues”
– Wing Man L., Climathon 2024 GTA Participant
“Sustainability is not a choice it’s a responsibility”
– Mike D., Climathon 2024 GTA Participant