Sustainable web development: digital responsibility for companies

The rapid progress of digital technologies not only brings innovations, but also considerable ecological challenges.

If the internet were a country, it would be the sixth largest consumer of electricity in the world behind Russia, Japan, China, India and the USA. With around 2 percent of global CO2 emissions per year, the Internet accounts for the same amount as the aviation industry, which is often the focus of public criticism. A significant proportion of these Internet emissions are caused by the operation of websites - due to the energy requirements of data centers, networks and, in particular, the use of end devices. This illustrates not only the extent of the environmental problem, but also the enormous scope for action that many companies are not yet fully exploiting in their sustainability efforts.

Websites are getting larger and larger

In the last ten years, the average size of a website has more than doubled. This trend is mainly due to the use of images, videos, animations and tracking systems, which have become the norm for most companies in order to meet market standards. Development tools are becoming more and more accessible, making it quick and easy to create high-quality content. However, more extensive pages can also cause longer loading times, which not only has a negative impact on the user experience, but also leads to higher CO₂ emissions. An average website with 10,000 page views per month can generate up to 211 kg of CO2 per year, which is equivalent to the amount that around 105 trees can absorb in a year.

Counteracting the trend

The need for future-oriented solutions on the web seems obvious. However, the solution is more complex than simply reducing emissions and quickly leaves the realm of the measurable. Sustainable web design encompasses not only ecological, but also economic and social dimensions. A sustainably designed website combines environmental protection principles with efficiency, web and user-friendliness standards. This involves reducing the emissions caused by the website as well as responsible content design and sustainable corporate management.

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Availability of content:

How quickly can users find the content they want? How useful is this content?

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Web performance optimization:

How quickly are assets loaded on end devices?

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Usability:

How quickly can tasks be carried out across devices and platforms?

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Green Web Hosting:

Are servers powered by renewable energy?

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Client and project ethos:

What does the website advertise or sell?

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Corporate management:

How does the company embody these principles in its activities?

Good UX is important

Some of the ecological measures, such as switching to green hosting or measures to reduce data and loading times, can be implemented without major effort and quickly deliver measurable results. Tools such as Ecograder make it possible to measure and analyze the energy efficiency and environmental impact of a website. Carbon emissions are estimated in relation to the use of consumer devices, networks and data centers.One factor that should not be neglected here is that the use of end devices by users has a significantly greater negative environmental impact than that of data centers. It is therefore not enough to simply optimize the efficiency of the server-side code.

Equally important, but more difficult to measure, is the user experience (UX). If users reach their goals on a website quickly and efficiently, this leads to fewer unnecessary server requests and reduces energy consumption. A high bounce rate caused by a poor user experience, on the other hand, leads to additional server requests or even a change of device. While technical tools measure the energy efficiency of the code, the subjective user experience is often not taken into account. Ultimately, a sustainable website is always one that offers the user a positive and efficient experience.

 

The future is digital and sustainable

Sustainable web development does not have to be at odds with economic efficiency - the two often go hand in hand. Although sustainable measures such as optimizing website complexity or switching to green hosting are associated with initial challenges and investments, there are long-term benefits for the environment and also for the company's profitability.
Efficiently designed websites offer an improved user experience, shorter loading times and a clear structure - aspects that are also rewarded by search engines. This leads to better visibility and, in the best case scenario, higher conversion rates.

By relying on sustainable technologies, companies not only contribute to climate protection, but also exploit their full digital potential. Sustainability on the web means taking responsibility and at the same time creating long-term benefits for companies, users and the environment.

Author

Louisa Terbrack

She is a digital consultant at Wächter and part of the digital team that works together to make clients' websites fit for the future. She focuses on current topics such as the integration of artificial intelligence, sustainability and user-friendliness. Together with her team, she develops customized digital solutions that combine technical efficiency and ecological responsibility.

Weblinks:

https://httparchive.org/reports/page-weight?start=2012_10_01&end=latest&view=list
https://www.webneutralproject.com/the-problem
https://www.greenit.fr/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/GREENIT_EENM_etude_EN_accessible.pdf
https://ecograder.com
https://www.mdpi.com/2078-1547/6/1/117

Date: October 9, 2024