DIREC project

GREENSQL: Green digitalization starts in the database

Project impact

At the core of every modern IT system lies the database. Databases track information, move it back and forth, and ensure seamless integration across systems—but all of this consumes energy. A lot of energy. What if it could be done more efficiently?

This question is central to GREENSQL, a project built on a strong partnership between Aalborg University, Roskilde University, and the international software company Software Improvement Group. By optimizing code and databases with AI, GREENSQL has the potential to drastically reduce energy consumption. In doing so, it can become a key driver in Denmark’s digital green transition—and a stepping stone toward the EU’s ambition of building a sustainable digital infrastructure.

GREENSQL addresses a critical challenge for both the IT industry and society at large. With its focus on responsible technology and energy-efficient software components, DIREC’s support for GREENSQL reflects our ambition to act as a catalyst for green digital transformation and to strengthen Denmark’s leadership in sustainability.

PROJECT DATA

Project name

GREENSQL: AI-Based Energy Estimation for Sustainable SQL

Project period

2025-2027

Funding

DKK 4,000,000

Scientific mission

By developing AI models capable of predicting the energy consumption of different queries, GREENSQL provides software developers with a powerful new tool for writing greener code. The project advances neural networks and other types of models to forecast the energy usage of SQL (Structured Query Language), one of the world’s most widely used programming languages. These models are trained on detailed measurements in controlled environments, enabling the identification and reduction of energy-heavy coding practices.

The results will be released as an open-source tool—ready for application in both research and industry. By combining cutting-edge university research with SIG’s practical experience from more than 400 clients worldwide, GREENSQL aims to deliver tangible impact for both academia and the software industry.

Project Participants

	Hua Lu – Professor – Aalborg University
	Maja Hanne Kirkeby – Associate Professor – Roskilde University
	Chushu Gao – Senior Researcher – Software Improvement Group
	Pepijn van de Kamp – Director of Innovation – Software Improvement Group
	Rasmus Petersen – Senior Managment Consultant – Software Improvement Group

Partners

While our clients are increasingly concerned about the energy efficiency of their database accesses in their software, currently there are no tools that can help software developers assess the energy footprint of code for SQL queries. With this gap in our mind, we are highly motivated to join the project that aims at filling this gap by accurate AI-based models for estimating energy consumption of SQL queries. Such models will be of strategic relevance to our company and the IT industry in general, as they will make contributions to the sustainability of digitalization.

Pepijn van de Kamp
Director of Innovation
Software Improvement Group