Balancing Performance, Cost, and Sustainability in Software Engineering
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.61978/digitus.v3i3.1075Keywords:
Green Computing, Sustainable Software Engineering, Energy Efficiency, Green AI, Cloud Sustainability, ICT Environmental Impact, Software LifecycleAbstract
The environmental impact of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has become a global concern, especially with the increasing energy consumption of data centers, artificial intelligence, and software systems. This narrative review explores how green computing and sustainable software engineering practices can address these environmental challenges. Using a systematic search across Scopus, IEEE Xplore, Web of Science, and Google Scholar, the review identifies best practices in integrating sustainability across the software lifecycle. Key findings reveal that energy-efficient coding, optimized database systems, and green AI strategies can significantly reduce energy use and carbon emissions. Cloud and serverless architectures offer additional sustainability potential when paired with proper energy monitoring tools. The review also highlights how educational reforms and organizational governance play essential roles in promoting eco-conscious practices. However, challenges persist. These include limited awareness among practitioners, lack of standardized metrics for software sustainability, and weak cross-disciplinary collaboration. Regional disparities also influence adoption, with Europe leading due to stronger policy frameworks, while Asia and North America show mixed trends. This study concludes that integrating sustainability into software engineering requires both technical innovations and systemic reforms. Future research should focus on empirical validation of sustainability frameworks, development of standard evaluation metrics, and promotion of interdisciplinary approaches. Sustainable ICT practices are not only an environmental necessity but also a strategic imperative for the future of digital innovation.
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