Our sustainable approach
The web is powerful, but it isn’t weightless.
Every page view consumes energy. Across billions of devices and data centres, that adds up. In fact, the internet contributes roughly 3.7% of global CO₂ emissions, more than the airline industry.
At LeanWebs, we believe that sustainable web design can help fix that. Our sites are built to load faster, use fewer resources, and emit less carbon, without sacrificing design or usability.
This page explains how we do it.
Why carbon-conscious design matters
The modern web is bloated. Many popular websites now exceed 3MB per page, loaded with oversized images, unused scripts, and third-party trackers. All of it requires electricity, from server to browser.
The cleaner your site, the less energy it demands.
When you reduce your page weight, you:
- Lower the carbon emissions of every visit
- Improve loading speed for users (especially on mobile)
- Reduce hosting and bandwidth costs
- Increase accessibility, especially in areas with slower connections
- Improve SEO and Core Web Vitals
In short: greener websites perform better.
Our method: lean, fast and measurable
We don’t guess. We measure, test and optimise using trusted tools and performance data.
Here’s how we build lower-emission sites:
1. Carbon analysis tools
We use Website Carbon, EcoPing, and manual tests to estimate:
- Grams of CO₂ per page view
- Hosting energy source and efficiency
- Page transfer size (in kB)
- Lighthouse and Core Web Vitals scores
We run before-and-after comparisons to prove impact.
2. Byte-level optimisation
Every file counts. We trim, compress and simplify to reduce transfer size:
- Modern images: WebP/AVIF, lazy loading, responsive sizes
- Minimal JavaScript: Avoid bloated frameworks and unused code
- Efficient CSS: No 300KB libraries for a 10KB layout
- Font restraint: Local or system fonts unless custom is essential
We also set aggressive caching and use CDNs to avoid repeat loads.
3. Green hosting
We partner with providers who use renewable energy and optimise infrastructure:
- Krystal (UK) – 100% green energy, LiteSpeed stack
- GreenGeeks (US/CA/EU) – matches 300% of energy usage with renewable energy credits
- Kinsta – Google Cloud + carbon offsets, fast edge caching
Each provider brings unique strengths across performance, regions and eco credentials. We match clients to the most suitable option based on their needs and location.
Want to know why we don’t rely on just one? Read why we use three green hosts →
If a client host doesn’t meet our standards, we recommend greener alternatives.
Our design principles
Being sustainable doesn’t mean being plain. We build sites that are:
- Lightweight without looking bare
- Interactive without heavy libraries
- Accessible by default
- Fast even on slow networks
- Custom yet modular and reusable
We favour progressive enhancement and graceful degradation. If something isn’t needed, we don’t include it.
We apply this to every service
No matter which LeanWebs service you choose, our sustainability principles are baked in:
- Green Tune-Up: We scan your existing site and reduce emissions through targeted fixes, no rebuild required.
- Deep Eco Audit: A full carbon, performance and accessibility review with clear recommendations.
- Green Development: Custom websites built from scratch for speed, sustainability and clarity.
We also support in-house teams with guidelines, audits and performance coaching.
Track your own impact
If you’re curious about your site’s current footprint, we recommend:
Want help interpreting the results? We’re happy to talk through them, no hard sell.
Lean is not a style, it’s a standard
We’re not here to shame, guilt or gatekeep. The web is complex, and no site is perfect. But we believe every byte should serve a purpose, and we help you get there, one gram at a time.
Let’s build something faster, cleaner and better.