Every tap, swipe, or click in a web or mobile application has an environmental footprint. With data centers and networks powering our digital world, the energy usage behind apps and websites is significant. In fact, data centers and communication networks account for roughly 2–3% of global electricity consumption, contributing to CO₂ emissions on par with a small country. Transferring data over mobile networks adds another 0.5% of global CO₂ emissions. Clearly, digital does not automatically mean sustainable. This is where sustainable app development comes in – an approach to creating web and mobile applications that minimise environmental impact through thoughtful design and strategy.
Green Hosting: Power Your App with Renewable Energy
One of the biggest environmental impacts of any app or website lies in the servers that host it. These servers run in data centers that can consume massive amounts of electricity – unless we deliberately choose green hosting options. Green hosting means using servers and cloud services powered by renewable energy or optimized for efficiency.
Energy-Efficient UX Design
Energy-efficient UX design focuses on making digital products that are visually appealing and easy to use without wasting device energy or network data. One example is offering a dark mode. On devices with OLED or AMOLED screens, displaying dark pixels uses less power than bright whites.
