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Article
Publication date: 21 August 2023

Bifeng Zhu and Gebing Liu

The research on sustainable campus is related to environmental protection and the realization of global sustainable development goals (SDGs). Because the sustainable campus

Abstract

Purpose

The research on sustainable campus is related to environmental protection and the realization of global sustainable development goals (SDGs). Because the sustainable campus development in China and Japan is carried out around buildings, this paper takes Kitakyushu Science and Research Park as a case to study the characteristics and typical model of sustainable campus in Japan by combined with the characteristics of Chinese sustainable campus.

Design/methodology/approach

This study compares the evaluation standards of green buildings between China and Japan, then compares the assessment results of the same typical green building case and finally summarizes the development mode and main realization path by discussing the implications of green buildings on campus sustainability.

Findings

The results show that (1) the sustainable campus evaluation in Japan mainly pays attention to the indoor environment, energy utilization and environmental problems. (2) Buildings mainly affect the sustainability of the campus in three aspects: construction, transportation and local. (3) The sustainable campus development model of Science and Research Park can be summarized as follows: taking green building as the core; SDGs as the goals; education as the guarantee; and the integration of industry, education and research as the characteristics.

Practical implications

It mainly provides construction experience for other campuses around the world to coordinate the contradictions between campus buildings and the environment based on sustainable principles in their own construction. It proposes a new sustainable campus construction path of “building–region–environment” integrated development.

Originality/value

This study provides theoretical framework for the development of sustainable campuses that includes long-term construction ideas and current technological support greatly improving the operability of practical applications. It not only enriches the sample cases of global sustainable campuses but also provides new ideas and perspectives for the sustainable development research of the overall campus through quantitative evaluation of building and environmental impacts.

Details

Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0969-9988

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 26 August 2022

N.K. Mustaffa, S.A. Kudus and M.F.H.A. Aziz

There is a growing awareness of the dangers of climate change and global warming due to increasing energy consumption and associated greenhouse gas emissions. Campus universities…

Abstract

Purpose

There is a growing awareness of the dangers of climate change and global warming due to increasing energy consumption and associated greenhouse gas emissions. Campus universities are critical for implementing low-carbon development efficiently, given the large population and socio-economic activities concentrated on campus. This paper aims to explore the existing campus management initiatives and recommends holistic driving elements towards successful low-carbon campus development.

Design/methodology/approach

This study’s triangulation of information was supplemented by contributions from 116 respondents on the UiTM Shah Alam campus and eight professional interviews with stakeholders involved in low-carbon campus projects.

Findings

The study reported that low-carbon strategies had been implemented on the UiTM Shah Alam campus, with most existing programmes and activities focusing on low-hanging fruit initiatives. Moreover, the findings indicate that financial, cultural, behavioural, organisational and physical constraints are critical challenges to effectively implementing low-carbon approaches. The proposed techniques suggest that generating green funding, defining clear targets, developing standard procedures for carbon assessment and monitoring, also boosting education and outreach programmes lead to the improvement of low-carbon campus efforts.

Practical implications

The outcomes of this paper offer perspective to campus administration and community into an evaluation of current approaches and strategies for merging low-carbon systems. The effectiveness of low-carbon implementation was ensured by addressing issues concerning low-carbon uptake and fostering low-carbon improvement.

Originality/value

Besides providing a better understanding of techniques to implementing low-carbon development in Malaysia, the critical hurdles and driving factors, the output from this study adds to the existing knowledge available concerning the campus community’s existing comprehension.

Details

Journal of Facilities Management , vol. 21 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1472-5967

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 16 May 2023

Dan-Cristian Dabija, Veronica Campian, Liana Stanca and Adriana Tiron-Tudor

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought tremendous changes in society. Universities were among the few organisations with some previous knowledge of online education, being able to…

Abstract

Purpose

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought tremendous changes in society. Universities were among the few organisations with some previous knowledge of online education, being able to rapidly adapt by transferring already known best practices to the new context. As teaching moved to online, students encountered less sustainable implementation by their universities. This allowed the development of previously planned sustainable strategies so that when face-to-face teaching resumed, universities could be even more sustainable. This paper aims to explore loyalty to the sustainable university during the later COVID-19 pandemic based on the university’s efforts to manage a green campus.

Design/methodology/approach

To investigate loyalty towards the sustainable university during the later COVID-19 pandemic, a conceptual model is proposed. This research is grounded in an empirical investigation using a quantitative online survey implemented with online interviews, the relations between all latent constructs being analysed with SmartPLS.

Findings

The results show that university sustainability reflects student loyalty, outlining the image developed under the influence of green campus management. The results show that universities must intensify their efforts to support the sustainable agenda and create a sustainable academic brand, inducing student loyalty. The findings may attract the attention of other universities wishing to gain knowledge about the factors that students consider important in generating their loyalty.

Research limitations/implications

As this research was carried out in the later COVID-19 pandemic context from 2021, the students already had experience of online teaching, so their assessment of the sustainability strategies implemented could be quite different from their perceptions in the first months of the pandemic. This research provides a comprehensive insight into the overall strategy that a sustainable university might apply in a crisis context.

Social implications

Research has shown that green campus management has a positive impact on the sustainability of a university’s image, on how students perceive the university at which they study and on the university’s efforts to ensure efficient campus management. These factors contribute to the development of a strong and sustainable image of the university within the community.

Originality/value

The originality of this paper lies in the research questions designed to conceptualise and operationalise the generation of students' loyalty towards their university by encouraging and implementing sustainable strategies on campus. This paper highlights a structural model that combines strategic practices to determine students' loyalty towards a sustainable university during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Details

International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, vol. 24 no. 8
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1467-6370

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 5 January 2024

Jucelia Appio Frizon, Teresa Eugénio and Nelson Natalino Frizon

This study aims to examine the mediating role of students’ knowledge of sustainable development (SD) in the relationship between green campus initiatives by higher education…

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to examine the mediating role of students’ knowledge of sustainable development (SD) in the relationship between green campus initiatives by higher education institutions (HEIs) and student proactivity.

Design/methodology/approach

The research, with a quantitative approach, was carried out with students linked to HEIs belonging to the Sustainable Campus Network – Portugal (RCS-PT).

Findings

It was concluded that communications of HEI SD initiatives, green campus operations and approach to SD in the classroom have a positive and significant effect on students’ proactivity toward SD. It was also concluded that SD-oriented student knowledge is a mediator in these relationships.

Research limitations/implications

An underlying argument is that students with SD-oriented knowledge engage in proactive behaviors, taking the best HEI initiatives as a precedent among students of the HEIs belonging to the RCS-PT.

Practical implications

HEI initiatives can be drivers for proactive student behaviors regarding SD. Thus, this study brings guidance to university leaders and other stakeholders. The findings can also be useful for those involved in planning SD-oriented actions in HEIs.

Social implications

Strengthen the role of higher education as co-creators of change by promoting the principles of SD in future professionals. Education is a strong instrument for behavioral change, so HEIs play a fundamental role here having a direct impact on society.

Originality/value

This research sought to expand the dialogue about SD in HEIs, especially in achieving sustainable development goals, intertwined with the idea of participation and engagement of students.

Details

International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1467-6370

Keywords

Abstract

Purpose

There is a widely held belief that sustainable development (SD) policies are essential for universities to successfully engage in matters related to sustainability, and are an indicator of the extent to which they are active in this field. This paper aims to examine the evidence which currently exists to support this assumption. It surveys a sample of universities in Brazil, Germany, Greece, Portugal, South Africa and the UK and the USA to ascertain the extent to which universities that are active in the field of sustainable development have formal policies on sustainable development, and whether such policies are a pre-condition for successful sustainability efforts.

Design/methodology/approach

The study involved 35 universities in seven countries (five universities respectively). A mixed-methods approach has been used, ranging from document analysis, website analysis, questionnaires and interviewing.

Findings

Although only 60 per cent of the sampled universities had a policy that specifically addressed SD, this cannot be regarded as an indicator that the remaining 40 per cent are not engaged with substantial actions that address SD. Indeed, all of the universities in the sample, regardless of the existence of a SD formal policy, demonstrated engagement with environmental sustainability policies or procedures in some form or another. This research has been limited by the availability and ability to procure information from the sampled universities. Despite this, it is one of the largest research efforts of this kind ever performed.

Research limitations/implications

This research has been limited by the availability and ability to procure information from the sampled universities.

Practical implications

The findings provide some valuable insights into the connections between SD policies on the one hand and the practice of sustainable development in higher education institutions on the other.

Social implications

Universities with SD policies can contribute to models of economic growth consistent with sustainable development.

Originality/value

The study is the one of the largest research efforts of this kind ever performed.

Details

International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, vol. 19 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1467-6370

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 3 June 2022

Lidya Agustina, Meyliana Meyliana and Hanny Hanny

The role of higher education institutions is paramount in creating social and cultural conditions for sustainability. Several studies show universities play an important role in…

Abstract

Purpose

The role of higher education institutions is paramount in creating social and cultural conditions for sustainability. Several studies show universities play an important role in promoting public understanding and awareness about sustainability. The purpose of this study is to analyze the application of university social responsibility (USR) on green and nongreen campuses and how it affects the corporate social responsibility (CSR) of students' self-consciousness (SSC), especially in accounting undergraduate programs by looking at how the undergraduate programs shape their curriculum and can build student awareness related to CSR.

Design/methodology/approach

A total of 704 accounting undergraduate programs students from eight different universities in Indonesia were surveyed to test the CSR SSC. Eight participating universities were included in the green campus based on Universitas Indonesia Green Metric (UI GreenMetric) and nongreen campus. Each university was analyzed regarding the application of USR.

Findings

The results of this study show that universities included in the green campus at the UI GreenMetric do not necessarily have a higher USR than the nongreen campus. Overall, there is evidence that graduates from universities with high USR implementation have better CSR SSC than graduates from universities with low USR implementation. Furthermore, the findings of this study show that there is a high value of ethic and CSR knowledge coming from university students with high USR implementation but not so with character. The findings show the same results from students between the two university groups.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first attempt to examine the effect of USR implementation on CSR SSC in Indonesia, by putting students’ CSR knowledge as a part of CSR SSC.

Details

Social Responsibility Journal, vol. 19 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1747-1117

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 19 June 2019

Luciana Londero Brandli, Amanda Lange Salvia, Leila Dal Moro, Vanessa Tibola da Rocha, Janaina Mazutti and Giovana Reginatto

This paper aims to highlight the contribution of ecological fairs to the promotion of sustainability in university campuses, based on a case study carried out at the University of…

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to highlight the contribution of ecological fairs to the promotion of sustainability in university campuses, based on a case study carried out at the University of Passo Fundo, located in Southern Brazil.

Design/methodology/approach

Producers and consumers of the ecological fairs were interviewed to analyse how the social, economic and environmental spheres of sustainable development are impacted by these fairs. In total, 24 interviews were conducted.

Findings

The results showed how fairs positively impact the academic and local community while bringing sustainability into university campuses.

Research limitations/implications

The main limitations of this study were the number of interviews and the short period during when the study was conducted.

Practical implications

This case study demonstrated how the promotion of ecological fairs on a university campus plays an important role in the implementation and practice of sustainability and can serve as an example for other institutions that intend to work on similar projects.

Originality/value

This paper contributes to the literature by providing a discussion on how ecological fairs represent a good addition in the process of universities to become more sustainable and which aspects of each sustainability sphere are involved.

Details

International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, vol. 20 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1467-6370

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 29 October 2020

Janaina Mazutti, Luciana Londero Brandli, Amanda Lange Salvia, Bárbara Maria Fritzen Gomes, Luana Inês Damke, Vanessa Tibola da Rocha and Roberto dos Santos Rabello

Higher education institutions are widely known both for their promotion to education for sustainable development (ESD) and for their contribution as living labs to urban management

Abstract

Purpose

Higher education institutions are widely known both for their promotion to education for sustainable development (ESD) and for their contribution as living labs to urban management strategies. As for strategies, smart and learning campuses have recently gained significant attention. This paper aims to report an air quality monitoring experience with focus on the smart and learning campus and discuss its implications for the university context with regard to ESD and sustainable development goal (SDG) integration.

Design/methodology/approach

The air quality monitoring was held at the main campus of University of Passo Fundo and focused on three pollutants directly related to vehicle emissions. The air quality index (AQI) was presented on a website, along with information regarding health problems caused by air pollution, main sources of emissions and strategies to reduce it.

Findings

The results showed how the decrease in air quality is related to the traffic emissions and the fact that exposing students to a smart and learning environment could teach them about sustainability education.

Practical implications

This case study demonstrated how monitoring air quality in a smart environment could highlight and communicate the impact of urban mobility on air quality and alerted to the need for more sustainable choices, including transports.

Originality/value

This paper contributes to the literature by showing the potential of a smart-learning campus integration and its contribution towards the ESD and the UN SDGs.

Details

International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, vol. 21 no. 7
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1467-6370

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 11 July 2019

Katherine Ortegon and Pilar Acosta

The purpose of this paper is twofold. First, as few universities have assessed their ecological footprint (EF), a benchmark for Colombian universities is presented. Second, a…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is twofold. First, as few universities have assessed their ecological footprint (EF), a benchmark for Colombian universities is presented. Second, a practical calculation tool for measuring the EF in educational institutions (EIs) is developed. The purpose of this tool is to facilitate the process of assessing the EF in EIs that are starting sustainability initiatives and to unify criteria with those already involved.

Design/methodology/approach

The development of the Ecological Footprint for Educational Institutions (EFEI) calculator is detailed showing the seven categories analyzed and the adaptation to the Colombian context.

Findings

Results are presented from a case study of EFEI implementation at Universidad Icesi. Furthermore, the relation between these results and the action taken to mitigate EF at the university is detailed.

Practical implications

Colombian EIs have recently joined the sustainable campus movement. The EF methodology and this tool serve to assess impacts and identify what EIs can do to ameliorate their environmental stewardship.

Social implications

EIs are called on to lead by example in terms of sustainability, not only in teaching and researching cutting-edge technologies but also in being sustainable and transferring this knowledge to future generations.

Originality/value

First, an EF benchmark for Colombian universities is presented. In addition, a unified methodology for EIs is developed. The availability of a standard tool will encourage other EIs to move forward in the effort to achieve a sustainable campus.

Details

International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, vol. 20 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1467-6370

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 9 May 2019

Bianca Gasparetto Rebelatto, Amanda Lange Salvia, Giovana Reginatto, Rangel Casanova Daneli and Luciana Londero Brandli

The purpose of this paper is to analyse recent actions of energy efficiency implemented by University of Passo Fundo, a higher education institution located in the south of…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to analyse recent actions of energy efficiency implemented by University of Passo Fundo, a higher education institution located in the south of Brazil, and their contributions to Goal 7.

Design/methodology/approach

The analysis is based on collected energy data and information of energy efficiency actions applied at the university.

Findings

The paper shows the progress related to the energy practices and discusses opportunities, threats, strengths and weaknesses of applying energy efficiency at universities and its contributions towards sustainable development goal (SDG) 7.

Practical implications

The findings of this study can inform readers about University of Passo Fundo’s initiatives towards energy efficiency focussed in lightening, photovoltaic solar power generation and free energy market. Readers are able to improve their knowledge with the discussion of internal and external factors related to the initiatives.

Originality/value

The originality of this paper is connected to the idea of sharing the experiences from University of Passo Fundo, connecting energy efficiency practices at universities to SDG 7 and also exploring opportunities, threats, strengths and weaknesses of applying these practices in the context of a higher education institution.

Details

International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, vol. 20 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1467-6370

Keywords

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