In recent years, sustainability has become an essential focus for governments, industries and communities alike, who are striving to find ways to reduce their environmental footprint. Still, when it comes to technology, sustainability is often surrounded by misconceptions.
We tend to think of the digital world as inherently greener; after all, it replaces paper, eliminates physical waste, and moves entire processes online. But the reality is far more complex, as every website, app or digital device relies on physical infrastructure: data centers, networks and user devices, all of which demand power to run and materials to be build. In an era defined by climate change and digital acceleration, sustainable software development is no longer a peripheral concern, but rather a central part of how we need to design, build and deliver software.
For Silvia, Full-stack Software Engineer at COERA, this shift was more than another industry trend, it became the inspiration for her master’s research: “At Babeș-Bolyai University, where I studied the Software Engineering Master program, this is the first year in which my thesis supervisor is teaching a new subject called Software Sustainability,” she recalls. “To be honest, I wasn’t very familiar with this topic at the beginning, my supervisor being the one that introduced it to me. But after I did a little bit of research in this area, I was very interested in the subject.”
Building on her in-depth research, Silvia sheds some light on the topic. In the context of software development, sustainability means making every stage of a product’s lifecycle (design, development, deployment and maintenance) more efficient, ethical, and environmentally responsible. As Silvia clarifies, sustainable practices can start with the way code is written and extend to the infrastructure that powers it.
One of the frameworks that shaped her research comes from Tim Frick’s Designing for Sustainability, which outlines four key dimensions: green hosting, user experience, performance optimization and findability of content. Each dimension focuses on building digital products that are lighter, faster, and less energy-intensive.
For instance, choosing cloud providers powered by renewable energy, designing intuitive and mobile-friendly interfaces, optimizing images and scripts, and helping users find content more easily all contribute to lower carbon footprint. Beyond development, sustainability also means extending hardware lifecycles, recycling old devices responsibly and fostering a company culture that values mindful, energy-conscious work.
But what are the real benefits of building software sustainably - both for the companies that create it and for the businesses that use it?
What once seemed like a distant ideal for software companies has evolved into a marker of innovation and competitive edge.
Sustainable development not only supports environmental goals but also strengthens business resilience. Efficient, maintainable software is faster, cheaper to operate, and easier to adapt to future technologies. In Silvia’s words, “building sustainably from the start prevents costly retrofitting later and reduces long-term technical debt.” Resilient companies stand out through their ability to adapt quickly to change, and sustainable development is one of the best ways to prepare for that future.
From a technical perspective, efficient code and optimized performance naturally translate into lower energy use, reduced server costs, and smoother scalability. Strategically, adopting sustainable practices enhances a company’s reputation, strengthens brand trust, and opens opportunities in forward-thinking markets. “Clients, partners, and investors increasingly value organizations that take environmental and social responsibility seriously,” (Silvia).
The benefits extend to clients as well. Businesses that partner with sustainable software providers gain more efficient, high-performing, and cost-effective digital products. While initial investment in training and implementation may be higher, “in the long run this will only bring valuable assets to the company. Sustainable development practices lead to faster load times, reduced hosting costs, and improved accessibility, all of which enhance user experience and customer retention.”
As one might expect, adopting sustainable practices across an entire company doesn’t happen overnight. Silvia remarks that “starting to adopt these practices on a company level is the hardest thing to do.” One of the biggest hurdles is simply awareness. Many teams still see sustainability as an optional extra rather than a core aspect of software quality. “Sustainability should not be a feature that is optionally added after functional and performance criteria are met,” she explains. “Rather, it must be treated as a precondition for the long-term success of any software system.”
Another challenge lies in measuring impact. Silvia mentioned several emerging technologies that already help software companies both reduce and monitor their environmental impact. Tools like Google Lighthouse, Ecograder, GT Metrix, and Website Carbon Calculator measure sustainability, while cloud optimization and green hosting (including auto-scaling, serverless computing, and carbon-aware load balancing) ensure resources are used efficiently and increasingly powered by renewable energy. Artificial intelligence and automation further optimize data processing and reduce wasted computing time.
Finally, the pressure to deliver fast and add new features can often overshadow long- term efficiency goals. But progress doesn’t require perfection from day one, it comes through leadership commitment, clear objectives, and small, consistent improvements.
Looking forward, it appears that sustainability will become a core standard in software development rather than a secondary concern, as it came through in our discussion with Silvia: “sustainability will evolve from being a ‘nice to have’ to a competitive differentiator, a mark of technical excellence, taking ownership of our role in making a difference, and long- term resilience in the software industry”.
At COERA, we share that vision. Sustainability is not just about awareness but about action. Theo, our Managing Partner, summed it up well: “We take sustainability seriously — not just by establishing our EcoVadis qualification, but by embedding it at the heart of what we do: engineering efficient, responsible, and future-proof digital platforms. Sustainability isn’t a side initiative for us; it’s part of how we engineer.”
At the end of the day, for businesses and the software industry, sustainability presents both a challenge and an advantage. Companies that adopt sustainable software development early can reduce their environmental impact while setting themselves apart in a competitive market. In an era of relentless digital growth, building software responsibly is fast becoming a benchmark of technical and business excellence.
