11R7-SunBridge-SunBridge

Inspiration

Calgary is one of Canada’s sunniest cities, yet households with solar panels rarely know where their extra energy goes or who benefits from it. At the same time, many families face high electricity bills or lack access to renewable energy because of cost or property limitations.

SunBridge was inspired by the belief that clean energy should strengthen communities, not disappear into the grid unnoticed. We wanted to build something that turns surplus solar power into direct, visible community impact, helping households support one another in a simple and meaningful way.

What it does

SunBridge is a community-powered solar sharing platform that lets households enter their energy production and usage, automatically calculate surplus, and choose exactly who receives their clean energy.

The platform makes the sharing process transparent, shows users where their impact goes, and awards points for each contribution. These points can be redeemed for perks or discounts through our future rewards system, turning sustainability into something rewarding and engaging.

How we built it

We built SunBridge using React, Vite, and Tailwind CSS to create a fast and responsive interface. Firebase Authentication handles secure login, Firestore stores data and point balances in real time, and Firebase Storage manages assets. The entire application is hosted on Firebase Hosting for smooth performance.

Challenges we ran into

One major challenge was designing a surplus calculation flow that felt intuitive but still realistic for users. We also had to structure Firestore carefully to manage points, donations, and authentication state without conflicts.

Maintaining consistency between the MVP interface and the marketing site required a lot of coordination. Debugging Firebase auth behavior, solving UI–state transitions in React, and keeping everything polished under a tight deadline were all demanding, but ultimately helped shape a cleaner product.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

We’re proud of building a fully functional MVP that demonstrates an end-to-end energy sharing concept. We developed a rewards system, a working sharing flow, and a complete UI in a short timeframe, while also producing a professional website and video pitch.

Translating Calgary’s sustainability goals into a real, usable prototype is something we’re especially proud of.

What we learned

We learned how to integrate Firebase Authentication and Firestore cleanly with a modern frontend stack, and how to structure point-based reward systems with real-time updates.

We gained experience prototyping quickly using Wix and Vibe, using AI tools effectively without over-relying on them, and transforming a broad climate challenge into a focused MVP. We also strengthened our ability to communicate technical concepts clearly through writing, design, and presentation.

What's next for SunBridge

Our next steps include implementing intelligent recipient matching to route surplus where it creates the most community impact, and building partnerships with Calgary businesses so points can convert into real-world perks.

Long-term, we hope to integrate with smart meter APIs, introduce neighborhood energy goals, and expand SunBridge across the city to support energy equity, reduce emissions, and strengthen Calgary’s resilience.