The Green Mile: Streamlining Impact Framework Accessibility (Team: Green HighTech #Innovators)

[WBurggraaf]

https://github.com/Green-Software-Foundation/hack/wiki/Submit-your-project-for-judging

Members: (Lead) @WBurggraaf, @teun2408, @Thomcdrom, @kees2125

Project Submission

Summary | A brief overview of your project | 100

The project tackles Impact Framework plugin challenges by re-engineering it into an accessible API for simpler manifest file creation and plugin development.

It introduces four innovative sustainability plugins (vehicle-embodied carbon, weather impact prediction, EV charging emissions, and package delivery emissions) to boost sustainability efforts.

Supported by a fictitious EV fleet sustainability case study, the project's clear README files and comprehensive analyses extend beyond carbon emissions to educate users.

Additionally, a simulation API streamlines Impact Framework use and spur innovation.

Concrete thought experiments inspire scientists to explore new uses of the Impact Framework
by offering context, innovative modeling techniques, simulation basics, and simplified coding extensions through tangible examples.

Problems | Describe the problems the solution addresses | 200

Problems the Project Addresses

The Impact Framework, while a powerful sustainability analysis tool, suffers from inherent complexity. This complexity manifests in the creation of manifest files, hindering adoption and potentially leading to inaccurate analysis. Additionally, while plugins offer flexibility, their development process can remain challenging. This complexity, along with a conventional focus on carbon emissions, obscures the true potential of the Impact Framework for new users.

How the Project Solves These Problems

Our project tackles these challenges head-on. By reimagining the Impact Framework as an accessible API, we radically simplify interaction for users working with manifest files. This lowers the barrier to entry and reduces the chances of errors. We also provide extensive documentation and a fabricated EV fleet sustainability case study to enhance understanding. Additionally, our plugins expand the focus to include embodied carbon, water usage, and other key sustainability metrics. Lastly, we've added a specific tool – a simulation API – to further empower users. These combined efforts make the Impact Framework significantly more accessible, fostering a thriving and innovative development community.

Application | Describe what the solution actually does | 200

Our solution empowers delivery companies to optimize their EV fleet operations for maximum environmental benefit. It achieves this through several key components:

Holistic Impact Assessment: Custom plugins for the Green Software Foundation's Impact Framework go beyond carbon emissions. They calculate embodied carbon, water usage, and waste generation throughout a vehicle's lifecycle, providing a comprehensive view of the fleet's environmental footprint.

Weather Impact Predictions: The solution analyzes how various weather conditions influence EV range and battery health. This enables proactive route adjustments and charging strategies for weather-optimized performance.

Grid-Aware Charging Optimization: Fleet managers can schedule charging to coincide with peak renewable energy generation periods on the grid. This minimizes the emissions associated with charging and potentially reduces costs.

Data-Driven Route Analysis: The solution analyzes planned routes, factoring in real-time traffic, weather, and vehicle performance data. This enables the identification of the most energy-efficient and emissions-conscious routes.

Proactive Maintenance Insights: Battery health projections allow for predictive maintenance scheduling. This extends the vehicle's lifespan, reduces unexpected downtime, and minimizes the long-term environmental impact.

Overall, our solution provides comprehensive tools and insights for delivery companies to make informed decisions that prioritize environmental sustainability in their EV fleet operations.

Prize category | Specify which prize category you are entering | -

✨ Best Contribution

Judging criteria | Explain how what you built meets the judging criteria for your prize category | 200

✨ Best Contribution

Why our project fits perfectly

Overall Impact 👩🏽‍⚖️

API-Driven Simplicity: Turning the Impact Framework into an API simplifies interaction, benefiting users by reducing complexity and minimizing errors in manifest file operations.

Focus on Usability: Providing a fabricated case study PDF, clear README files, and diverse plugins emphasizes user-friendliness, empowering new users to utilize the Impact Framework beyond carbon emission analyses.

Supplemental Tools: A simulation API application extends the core framework's functionality, making it more adaptable and approachable across various use cases.

Innovation and Creativity

Transformation into an API: The innovative shift to an API-driven model streamlines interaction, enhancing usability and reducing errors.

Diverse Plugins and Tools: The inclusion of various plugins and a simulation API demonstrates creativity in extending the Impact Framework's capabilities and usability.

Alignment

Empowering Users: Through usability-focused initiatives like case studies and clear documentation, the project aligns with user needs and expectations, making the Impact Framework more accessible and powerful.

Encouraging Expansion: By providing tools and plugins, the project aligns with the goal of inspiring scientists and specialists to build upon the existing framework and contribute to its evolution.

User Experience

Simplified Interaction: The emphasis on API-driven simplicity and user-friendly resources like case studies and README files enhances the overall user experience with the Impact Framework.

Expanded Functionality: Additional plugins and tools contribute to a more versatile and adaptable user experience, accommodating various use cases and needs.

Video | A link to your video submission on YouTube | -

VIDEO

Artefacts | Link to the code or content | -

The main actor is the IF API <- Code Quality
Use the big manifest file example here to test it!:
IF-API: SWAG-UI <- API link (where you can run the JSON files beneath linked)

Using if api Swagger UI:

• Locate the Endpoint: In your Swagger UI interface, find the section listing API endpoints. Expand the "POST /if" endpoint.
• Parameters: This endpoint takes no specific query or path parameters. The primary input is provided through the request body.
• Request Body:
  • Content-Type: Ensure it's set to "application/json". This tells the server you're sending JSON data.
  • Prepare Your JSON: The endpoint description ("Convert your YAML manifests to JSON...") indicates you'll need to provide correctly formatted JSON data, likely obtained from converting your YAML manifests.
  • Paste JSON into the Textbox: Swagger UI should provide a text area for the request body. Paste your prepared JSON data into this field.
• Try it out: Click the "Try it out" button.

Examples you can use from the IF examples directory are, or create you'r own -> https://jsonformatter.org/yaml-to-json:
MANIFESTS/SCI.JSON
MANIFESTS/BASIC.JSON

The initial step we took was to develop a fabricated case study, ensuring that both our team members and subsequently the jury would fully grasp the core narrative of our project.
Content: PDF case study<- Docs and Transparency

Plugin: vehicle-embodied-carbon
README <- Docs and Transparency
EXAMPLE JSON <- Use this in the API link
EXAMPLE YAML <- Docs and Transparency
PLUGIN SOURCE <- Code Quality

Plugin: weather-impact-prediction
README <- Docs and Transparency
EXAMPLE JSON<- Use this in the API link
EXAMPLE YAML <- Docs and Transparency
PLUGIN SOURCE <- Code Quality

Plugin: ev-charging-emissions
README <- Docs and Transparency
EXAMPLE JSON<- Use this in the API link
EXAMPLE YAML <- Docs and Transparency
PLUGIN SOURCE <- Code Quality

Plugin: package-delivery-emissions
README <- Docs and Transparency
EXAMPLE JSON<- Use this in the API link
EXAMPLE YAML <- Docs and Transparency
PLUGIN SOURCE <- Code Quality

Usage | Link to usage instructions if applicable | -

Use the base simulator to generate a big example manifest file, usable for this solution:
BASE-SIMULATOR-SWAG-UI

Using basesim api Swagger UI:

1. Locate the Endpoint: Navigate to the Swagger UI interface for your API. Find the section where your endpoints are listed and expand the "GET /mondayAtGreenLogisticsTheExampleLtd/Simulate" endpoint.
2. Parameters: This endpoint has no specific parameters listed. This means you can execute the simulation directly without providing additional input.
3. Try it out: Click the "Try it out" button associated with the endpoint.

Base Simulator Source Code <- Code Quality

Execute: Press the "Execute" button. This will send the GET request to your API server.

Process | Describe how you developed the solution | 150

Our solution development process emphasized collaboration and iteration:

Ideation: We brainstormed potential plugins and features to enhance the Impact Framework's capabilities.

Planning: Using Azure DevOps scrum board, we structured tasks focused on individual plugins, simulators, API integration, and UI development.

Development: Prioritizing TypeScript ensured alignment with the Impact Framework's design. Pair programming and frequent discussions facilitated collaboration.

Adaptation: We remained flexible, shifting towards an API-driven architecture, resulting in additional simulator creation.

Alignment: Weekly meetings ensured progress, addressed challenges, and refined the solution for a cohesive outcome.

Inspiration | Tell us what inspired you to develop the solution | 150

Picture this: a whirlwind brainstorming session fueled by a shared passion for sustainability and a sprinkle of tech geekery! One of us throws out "logistics optimization," another mentions Picnic's EV grocery deliveries and the discord buzzes with the complex beauty of charging logistics and electronics. Suddenly, the intricate dance of routes, optimization, and a story about vehicle inspections and weather-dependent charging strategies takes center stage.

It's a eureka moment! We envision a solution built on the Impact Framework – custom plugins quantifying often-overlooked factors like embodied water usage and waste generation throughout a vehicle's lifecycle. We see the potential to predict weather-driven battery performance and align charging with renewable energy peaks.

The excitement is palpable as we imagine a world where delivery fleets aren't just about efficiency but a holistic commitment to minimizing their environmental footprint. This isn't just about building a tool – it's empowering change, making sustainable logistics tangible and actionable. We're ready to dive into the beautiful mess of code, APIs, and data-driven insights, fueled by the thrill of driving real impact!

Challenges | Share the challenges you ran into | 150

We hit some roadblocks! The existing plugin examples weren't the most intuitive, and our varied TypeScript backgrounds made the initial learning curve steeper. Thankfully, one teammate stepped up with a clear template, and that's when things started clicking into place.

Plus, being tech-focused, we had to shift our thinking from pure calculations to the scientific complexities of real-world data. Understanding the nuances of observations versus absolute measurements within the larger context – that was a mind-bender at times!

But hey, that's the fun of it, right? We tackled these challenges head-on, learning as a team and recognizing the inherent limitations of any model. In the end, we focused on what we could achieve, delivering a solution that pushes the boundaries of sustainable fleet analysis.

Accomplishments | Share what you are most proud of | 150

We've revolutionized the understanding and optimization of electric vehicles for a sustainable future by delving into Impact Framework data. Our analysis uncovers insights into embodied carbon, material waste, and EV battery composition. We've quantified carbon footprints, identified resource depletion hotspots, and studied intricate EV charging dynamics crucial for advancing green transportation.

To amplify the dataset's impact, we transformed the Impact Framework into a user-friendly API, simplifying interactions and empowering users with clear guides and diverse plugins. Our tools and simulation API applications offer adaptability and specialized functions.

Our focus on usability makes the Impact Framework accessible to scientists and specialists, democratizing knowledge and tools for sustainable innovation in transportation. We pave the way for a greener future by inspiring innovation in sustainable technology.

Learnings | Share what you learned while hacking | 150

This hackathon was (and still is) an incredible learning journey! Here are some key takeaways:

The Power of Collaboration: Diverse perspectives sparked our creativity, and teamwork got us through those tricky problem-solving moments. We learned the value of leaning on each other's strengths to create something truly impactful.

Impact Framework's Potential: Diving deep into the Impact Framework revealed its vast potential for quantifying environmental impacts far beyond carbon. There's so much room to explore and build upon this foundation.

Bridging the Gap: We had to grapple with turning scientific complexities into usable data models. This highlighted the importance of bridging the divide between scientific research and practical software tools for effective sustainability solutions.

Flexibility is Key: Our pivot towards an API-driven architecture reinforced that adaptability is a hacker's best friend. Embracing change allowed us to create a more robust and scalable solution.

Passion is Contagious: Our shared enthusiasm for sustainable tech-fueled our determination to build something meaningful. It taught us that passion is a powerful catalyst for innovation and change.

What's next? | How will your solution contribute long-term to the Impact Framework eco-system | 200

Our work has the potential to create a ripple effect within the Impact Framework ecosystem and beyond:

Pioneering a Holistic Approach: By introducing plugins that quantify embodied water usage and waste generation, we pave the way for a more comprehensive understanding of software's environmental footprint. This can inspire new metrics, plugins, and analyses focused on these often-overlooked impact areas.

Open-Source Empowerment: Prioritizing open-source development and detailed documentation lowers barriers to entry. We envision developers, researchers, and businesses alike utilizing and building upon our plugins and methodology. This fosters a collaborative community dedicated to expanding the Impact Framework's reach.

Driving Data-Driven Sustainability: Our solution demonstrates the power of data in optimizing EV fleet operations for sustainability. This can serve as a blueprint for other industries and use cases, encouraging the adoption of the Impact Framework as a decision-making tool for minimizing environmental impact.

Beyond Fleet Management: The modular design of our plugins lays the groundwork for adaptation to other transport sectors (aviation, shipping, etc.), potentially leading to industry-specific tools and optimizations.

Mainstreaming "Beyond Carbon" Thinking: By making complex concepts like embodied water and waste accessible, we aim to shift mindsets within the tech industry. We believe our work can nurture a collective understanding that a truly sustainable digital future demands consideration of the full spectrum of environmental impacts.

Ultimately, we envision a world where assessing and optimizing the environmental footprint of software is seamlessly integrated into development processes. Our solution strives to be a catalyst for this transformation, contributing to a more responsible and sustainable digital landscape.

[WBurggraaf]

07-04-2024 Submitted just before 11:00 Amsterdam Time.