Professional Diploma in Sustainable Website Development
Professional Diploma in Sustainable Website Development
Course Overview
This diploma provides professionals with the knowledge and skills necessary to design and develop websites that have minimal environmental impact, in accordance with UK sustainability regulations. Participants will examine green hosting, energy-efficient coding, accessibility standards, and the most recent UK government sustainability and digital regulations.
overview
Course Structure & Hours Allocation
| Module | Topic | Hours |
| Module 1 | Introduction to Sustainable Web Development | 2 |
| Module 2 | UK Government Sustainability Laws & Digital Regulations | 4 |
| Module 3 | Green Hosting & Energy-Efficient Web Infrastructure | 3 |
| Module 4 | Optimized Web Design & Development Practices | 5 |
| Module 5 | Sustainable UX/UI & Digital Accessibility | 3 |
| Module 6 | Data Efficiency & Carbon Footprint Reduction | 3 |
| Module 7 | SEO, Performance Optimization & Sustainability | 2 |
| Module 8 | Sustainable CMS & Static Site Generators | 3 |
| Module 9 | Case Studies & Practical Implementation | 3 |
| Final Project | Sustainable Website Build & Compliance Audit | 2 |
| Total | 30 Hours |
Course Breakdown & Learning Outcomes
Module 1: Introduction to Sustainable Web Development (2 Hours)
- Understanding the environmental impact of websites
- Carbon footprint of digital infrastructure
- The role of developers in sustainable web design
Module 2: UK Government Sustainability Laws & Digital Regulations (4 Hours)
- UK Net Zero Strategy 2050 & its impact on digital businesses
- The Environment Act 2021: Obligations for digital sustainability
- Green Digital and Data Strategy 2023 (UK Government's sustainable IT policies)
- Eco-design for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR)
- Ethical considerations in sustainable web design
Module 3: Green Hosting & Energy-Efficient Web Infrastructure (3 Hours)
- Selecting green web hosts (GreenGeeks, Kualo, SiteGround, AWS Sustainable)
- Energy-efficient data centres (Tier IV vs. renewable-powered)
- Server optimisation & content delivery networks (CDNs)
Module 4: Optimised Web Design & Development Practices (5 Hours)
- Writing clean, efficient HTML, CSS, and JavaScript
- Image & video compression (WebP, AVIF, SVG optimisation)
- Lazy loading, caching & efficient API calls
- Static vs. dynamic website performance impact
Module 5: Sustainable UX/UI & Digital Accessibility (3 Hours)
- Dark mode & energy-efficient colour schemes
- Minimalist design principles for sustainability
- WCAG accessibility & sustainable UX best practices
Module 6: Data Efficiency & Carbon Footprint Reduction (3 Hours)
- Minimising database requests and reducing bloat
- Static site generators (Hugo, Jekyll, Gatsby)
- Energy-efficient JavaScript frameworks (Next.js, Astro)
Module 7: SEO, Performance Optimisation & Sustainability (2 Hours)
- Google’s Core Web Vitals & eco-friendly SEO ranking factors
- Reducing bounce rate with lightweight design
- Sustainable content strategy (evergreen content, lightweight metadata)
Module 8: Sustainable CMS & Static Site Generators (3 Hours)
- Energy-efficient CMS options (WordPress, Webflow, Kirby)
- Headless CMS & static site performance benefits
- Sustainable site architecture for longevity
Module 9: Case Studies & Practical Implementation (3 Hours)
- Real-world examples of sustainable websites
- Analysis of carbon-efficient web practices
- Ethical challenges & decision-making in sustainability
Final Project: Sustainable Website Build & Compliance Audit (2 Hours)
- Designing and building a lightweight, energy-efficient website
- Conducting a sustainability audit using the Website Carbon Calculator
- Presenting compliance with UK sustainability laws
Assessment & Certification
- Practical Assignments: Energy-efficient website prototypes
- Final Project: Real-world sustainable web development
- Online Exam: Regulations, design principles, and sustainability best practices
- Certificate: Issued upon completion
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