Using Participatory GIS for Sustainable Campus Planning: Insights from GreenHack Hackathon

Abstract

Climate change is the principal global challenge demanding active community participation alongside governmental and corporate efforts. This article presents findings from GreenHack, a student hackathon at Istanbul Technical University (ITU), utilizing Participatory Geographic Information Systems (PGIS) to enhance campus sustainability. Participants developed creative PGIS-based prototypes addressing green space planning, waste management, water conservation, and energy economy, aligned with UI GreenMetric standards and ITU’s Green Campus project. These applications demonstrated GIS technologies’ ability to visualize data, engage users through gamification, and provide actionable insights. GreenHack showcases the potential of participatory hackathons to connect sustainability goals with community engagement, offering scalable, inclusive frameworks for sustainable design extending from campus environments to broader urban contexts.