Case Study
Rebuilding the Denman Place Mall website around its visitors
The majority of visitors arrive on mobile devices within walking distance of the mall. They need store information, hours, and directions. The previous site was not designed with those priorities in mind.
Leaner codebase
The previous site carried more weight than necessary. We reduced the markup, replaced oversized images with properly compressed assets, and consolidated duplicated layout patterns across pages.
Improved readability
Larger typography, stronger contrast ratios, and consistent navigation patterns across every page. Visitors can locate store information and hours quickly on any device.
Lower environmental impact
Optimized images, reduced code, and eliminated unnecessary resource loading. Every page transfers less data, benefiting both the environment and visitors on slower connections.
Tested on real-world connections
Performance was validated against typical mobile connections in the West End, not laboratory conditions. This informed decisions around render-blocking resources, lazy-loaded images, and streamlined HTML.
Improved search visibility
Proper heading hierarchy and consistent page templates allow search engines to better understand each page's content. This directly improves discoverability for individual stores and services within the mall.
A neighbourhood mall serving a high-traffic corridor
Denman Place Mall is located on one of the busiest pedestrian streets in Vancouver’s West End. It serves a daily-needs function for the surrounding community: groceries, services, dining. The website needed to reflect that purpose: fast to load, easy to navigate, and optimized for mobile screens.
Mobile-first
Designed for how visitors arrive
Accessible
Usable by a wider audience
Lean
Reduced page weight throughout
Maintainable
Built for long-term stability
What changed
Scope of work
The existing website suffered from slow page loads, inconsistent mobile navigation, and unnecessary complexity in the codebase. We addressed each of these areas directly.
Faster
Page load times improved through the removal of render-blocking resources, image compression, and reduced markup throughout the site.
Clearer
Store directories, hours, and location information are now positioned consistently. Navigation follows the same structure across every page.
Lighter
The overall site footprint is significantly smaller, resulting in lower server resource usage, reduced energy consumption per visit, and simplified ongoing maintenance.
Practical improvements
Key improvements and their impact
Reducing waste and improving structure are complementary goals. Progress in one area reinforces the other.
Reduced digital weight
- Images are compressed and consistently sized rather than exported at arbitrary dimensions
- Redundant layout blocks were consolidated into shared, reusable patterns
- Page markup is simplified with fewer nested containers and reduced CSS
Improved usability
- Store and services information is more discoverable, particularly on mobile devices
- Typography scale is larger and contrast ratios are stronger throughout
- Interactions behave consistently across all device types and screen sizes
Key takeaway
The majority of sustainability gains came from eliminating unnecessary elements: oversized images, redundant code, and layout complexity that served no functional purpose. Removing these improved load times, reduced hosting costs, and simplified future maintenance.
Partnership impact
Saving hundreds of thousands in operating costs
Since our partnership with Denman Place, our work has saved hundreds of thousands of dollars each year by securing free access to premium tools that would otherwise be significant line items.
Google Workspace
Complete productivity and collaboration suite, provided at no cost through our verified nonprofit partnership.
Canva for Nonprofits
Premium design tools for marketing materials, signage, and tenant communications, eliminating licensing costs.
Google Ads Credit
Ad grants that increase visibility for the mall and its tenants, expanding reach without additional advertising expenditure.
These resources have measurably reduced Denman Place's operating costs while providing tenants with valuable tools at no additional expense. Services that previously required paid subscriptions and vendor contracts are now accessed through verified nonprofit programs that we established and continue to maintain.
Environmental impact
82% reduction in website energy consumption
According to Website Carbon, the redesign improved the homepage rating from B to A, reducing energy consumption and carbon emissions by more than four-fifths.
Before
Website Carbon Rating
After
Website Carbon Rating
723
kWh saved per year
274.21
kg of CO2 prevented per year
4,632
km of electric vehicle driving prevented