This talk presents outcomes from the Green Configuration project, focused on reducing energy consumption in configurable software. Modern systems offer rich configuration options that can serve as powerful levers for energy optimization. This approach delivers two key benefits: it enables immediate energy savings without modifying code and provides actionable insights by pinpointing energy-intensive code regions, guiding targeted optimizations for legacy systems.
We cover three practical aspects: Measuring energy consumption – available tools, their limitations, and pitfalls to avoid. Optimizing via configuration – achievable energy savings in real-world systems. Proxies for energy use – when they work and when direct measurements are essential.
The talk concludes with findings from a global survey of software engineers, revealing why green software engineering remains a low priority and discussing steps we can take—as developers and as a community—to make sustainable