The energy consumption of the internet is growing at an astonishing rate – simultaneously, the responsibility of digital services is becoming an increasingly significant competitive factor. Green UX, or environmentally-friendly user experience, combines sustainability with business efficiency.
What is Green UX?
Green UX refers to the design of services in such a way that they consume as little energy and data as possible – without compromising usability. It is part of a broader principle of responsible design, which takes into account environmental impacts, accessibility, and technical performance.
However, Green UX is not just about environmental ecology; the lightness and speed of a site have a direct impact on business. A fast site means:
shorter loading times
better user experience
higher search engine visibility (SEO)
more conversions and a lower bounce rate.
Numerous studies show that the speed of a website has a direct impact on business results. For example, according to Google, if the mobile page loading time increases from one second to three, the risk of a user leaving increases by up to a third.
Practical examples of Green UX actions
Image optimisation | Modern image file formats such as WebP and AVIF, as well as automatic resolution adjustment |
Font management | Only necessary fonts, local loading, no calls to external services |
Reduced animation load | CSS animations are less taxing than JavaScript animations – extra effects should be avoided |
Simplifying page paths | Faster navigation routes → fewer loads |
Analytics optimisation | Optimising analytics – integrating and managing tracking codes through consent management |
Dark themes | Dark interfaces consume less power on many smartphones and smartwatches using AMOLED displays. Offering a dark mode as an optional choice for users can enhance both the user experience and the device's battery life. |
Green UX in practice – results before and after optimisation
The comparison below illustrates how optimisation in accordance with Green UX principles affects website performance, user experience, and conversions. "Before" depicts the site's original state, "after" reflects results following optimisation.
Element | Before (traditional UX) | After (Green UX) |
Main page | A 5-megabyte hero video plays every time the page loads | A 200-kilobyte WebP image, the video plays only upon clicking |
Fonts | 6 different font weights and an external font service | Only the necessary 3 font weights and local loading |
Navigation | Deep and heavy navigation structure | Simple and quick |
Page load time | 3.8 seconds | 1.2 seconds |
Bounce rate | 62% | 38% |
Conversion rate | 1.2% | 2.1% |
How to assess your website's environmental impact?
An excellent way to start your Green UX journey is by assessing the current energy consumption and carbon footprint of your website. One easy-to-use and visually clear tool for this is the Website Carbon Calculator.
By entering your website's address into the tool, you can get an estimate of the following:
How much CO₂ emissions occur with a single page load
The amount of energy consumption per visit
How your website compares to other internet sites
Whether your site operates on renewable energy
The tool also provides annual estimates, such as how many trees would be needed to offset your site's emissions. The results help identify concrete areas for improvement that can achieve ecological and business benefits.
How does Green UX support business?
Green UX is not merely a matter of image. It also improves:
Sales and leads: faster pages → more conversions
Search engine visibility: Google favours fast and accessible pages
Brand responsibility profile: a competitive advantage especially in B2B environments
User satisfaction: speed, clarity, and accessibility enhance the user experience
At the same time, the company complies with increasingly stringent EU regulatory requirements (e.g., CSRD, EAA, WCAG 2.2), which may impact future tenders and contract negotiations.
Where can Crasman help?
Crasman has extensive experience in designing and implementing both responsible and business-efficient web services. We offer:
A Green UX audit for your current web service
Development recommendations and a roadmap for optimisation
WCAG 2.2 accessibility audits
Design and implementation of new web services in an environmentally friendly and efficient manner
Assistance in collecting digital service data related to sustainability reporting – including references to the European accessibility standard EN 301 549.
Would you like us to review how your current web service performs on Green UX metrics? Contact us – let's make environmental friendliness your competitive advantage.
Olli Maksimainen
16 Jun 2025
