Design for Sustainable Behaviour: An Exploratory Study in Schools’ Washrooms

Paula Brumer Franceschini () and Cecilia Gravina da Rocha
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Paula Brumer Franceschini: Postgraduate Program in Civil Engineering (PPGEC), Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), 99 Osvaldo Aranha Ave, Porto Alegre 90035-190, RS, Brazil
Cecilia Gravina da Rocha: School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Technology Sydney (UTS), Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 3, 1-21

Abstract: Recent research suggests that built environments can influence user behavior. Concurrently, Design for Sustainable Behaviour (DfSB) has emerged in design and manufacturing disciplines. This paper explores the application of DfSB in built environment design by devising and implementing a toolkit to prompt children to behave more sustainably in schools’ washrooms. The resource consumption before and after the toolkit installation in two primary schools was measured and compared. Afterward, interviews and a workshop were carried out to gather the perceptions of children and staff. Results show a preference for stickers that are playful and portray natural motifs. Also, the toolkit design concepts were not perceived by most users, suggesting it can be simplified and serve mainly as a reminder to perform a particular behavior. Yet, the interview participants suggested that the toolkit could indirectly contribute to more sustainable behaviors by creating a pleasant environment and prompting children to not play/waste resources. Additionally, the research reviews and classifies existing DfSB strategies into three categories, providing valuable insights for designers on tailoring interventions based on user control, attitudes, and targeted behaviors.

Keywords: design for sustainable behavior; behavior change; school building; built environment; user behavior (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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