Innovative Carbon Offset App for Sustainability

Services Rendered: Software Development & App Innovation ● Data Analytics

Our client, a pioneer in facilitating carbon offset and sustainable actions, recognized the need to surpass their web platform’s limitations in scalability and multi-channel functionality.

The Problem

Enhancing sustainability efforts

The core challenge was to create a progressive app, suitable for mobile home screens and enriched with features lacking in the original platform, to boost user engagement and impact in combating carbon emissions. By buying these carbon offsets from the “Voluntary Carbon Market”, companies can measurably decrease the amount of CO2 equivalent they emit.

The Solution

Empowering carbon offsetting with an intuitive and engaging user interface

The newly created carbon offset app introduces a user-friendly interface for both individual and business users and helps users offset their carbon footprint & get rewarded for their sustainable actions.

It features three key elements for engagement and carbon offsetting: a list of carbon offset projects with details for informed choices, a carbon footprint calculator for environmental impact assessment, and a wallet for tracking transactions, subscriptions, and project support. Users can directly support carbon capture initiatives or choose projects based on their carbon footprint insights.

The solution architecture is structured across three layers: Presentation, Business, and Data.

Presentation Layer

• App Service (Web Site): This is a Progressive Web App (PWA) built with React, providing a seamless and engaging interface for both individual and business users.
• Mobile Client: The mobile client, a hybrid app, ensures accessibility and engagement for users on mobile devices.

Business Layer

Hosting various services, each encapsulated within Azure App Services and built using Node.js for robust backend support.

• App Service:

– Notification API: Manages notifications to users about their carbon offset activities and rewards. – Audit API: Tracks and records user actions for transparency and accountability. – Authentication/Registration API: Uses OpenAI Auth0 for secure user authentication and registration. – Account API: Manages user accounts and their details. – Payment API: Integrates with Stripe to handle transactions related to carbon offset purchases. – Carbon Calculator API: Provides the functionality for users to calculate their carbon footprint. – Dashboard API: Powers the user dashboard with real-time data and insights. – Reporting API: Generates reports on user activities and impact. – Content API: Manages content related to carbon offset projects and educational material. – Wallet API: Tracks user transactions, subscriptions, and project support within the app. – Project API: Manages the list of carbon offset projects, providing details for users to make informed choices.

• Scheduled Webjob/Azure Function: Manages scheduled tasks such as subscription renewals and periodic updates.

Data Layer

This layer includes various storage and database services, ensuring secure and efficient data management.

• Databases (hosted on Azure SQL):

– User Details Schema: Stores user-related information. – Payment Schema: Handles payment transaction data. – Content Schema: Contains information about carbon offset projects. – Logs Schema: Keeps logs of user activities and system events. – Carbon Emissions DB: Stores data related to carbon emission calculations. – Wallet DB: Tracks user wallet transactions and balances. – Projects DB: Contains detailed information about each carbon offset project.

• Active Directory: Used for managing user authentication and access control.
• Azure Storage: For storing large files, documents, and media related to the carbon offset projects and user activities.

Technology Stack: .PWA, React, Node.js, Azure Cloud Services, OpenAI Auth0, Stripe