Students from five historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) squared off recently in the fourth annual HBCU Energy Hackathon presented by the American Association of Blacks in Energy (AABE). The event featured teams from Alabama A&M University, Tuskegee University, Talladega College, Lawson State Community College and Trenholm State Community College competing for prizes totaling $17,500.
The Birmingham Chapter of AABE partnered with the Alabama Power Foundation to present the hackathon last month at Alabama Power headquarters in downtown Birmingham. The purpose is to introduce students to human-centered design thinking and foster innovation around energy-related challenges.
The hallenge was to “Quantify the Impact: A Digital Tool for Non-Energy Benefits of Home Efficiency.” Students were tasked with designing a digital platform (web or mobile) to estimate and visualize non-energy benefits – such as health improvements, economic gains, and social outcomes – resulting from energy efficiency upgrades. The teams were scored on creativity, innovation, potential impact and presentation delivery…