Human Behavior and Sustainability

Ismail SaidFAB

18th August 2010

Simpler = more sustainable

Wastu (Vastu) = Form giving in its totality

Research on Human Behavior and Environmentin Environment and Behavior, Journal of Env Psy, and Energy and Building

for 2009 and 2010

Theme and Subject Context/Setting

Place attachment and Place making• community harmony• flood preparedness• neighborhood integrity

Neighborhood, Community, City, House

Person-Environment Fit• sustainable interior design• seating pattern• dentist waiting room

City, House, School, Classroom, Office

Children’s environment• Friendliness• Favorite place• Affordances• Playscape• Social interaction

Rural, City, Open spaces, School

Environmentally responsible behavior• Global warming and mitigation• Climate change• Travel mode• Recycling attitude•Thermal sensory

General, City, Community, Building

Participation• Household participation• UHI mitigation• Community security• Cleanliness

Residential community, City

Most-Read Articles in Journal of Environmental Psychology

Themes1. Environmental attitudes2. Household energy use and waste management3. Emotional benefits experiencing nature4. Behavior in building5. Place attachment and homesickness6. Health and Place

Research Done by Members of Green Innovation Research Group

Previous Studies (n=6)1. Garden as Restorative Environment for Hospitalized Children

(2006)2. Affordances of Streams for Young Children’s Performances

(2008)3. Affordances of Fishing Village for Children’s Functioning

(2008)4. Affordances of Forest Park for Children’s Functioning (2009)5. Affordances of Cul-de-sac in Urban Neighborhoods as Play

Spaces for Middle Childhood Children (2010)6. Children’s Nomination of Friendly Places in an Urban

Neighbourhood in Shiraz, Iran

Research Done by Members of Green Innovation Research Group

Ongoing PhD Studies (n=6)1. Experiential Contacts with Green Infrastructure Network

Generating Well- being to Residents in a Small Town2. Padang as Public Place in Historical City in Malaysia3. Playscapes at home- School Way and Their Influence on

Children's Preference for Walking to School4. Factors Affecting Park Visitation in City of Khartoum, Sudan5. Effects of Legibility and Complexity on Path Choice Behavior

in Urban Setting6. Attributes of School Yard for Children’s Outdoor Learning

Research Done by Members of Green Innovation Research Group

Ongoing Collaborative Study with Hiroshima University (Grant from Hiroshima University, RM24000)

Developing a participatory workshop method for use with children in UHI mitigation strategies in Malaysia

Objectives:1. To initiate the awareness of children aged 6-12 years of the temperature reduction effect of green spaces.2. To develop an educational program for children aged 6-12 years on managing green spaces and mitigating the effects of UHIs.

Summary of Research on People and Place

• Causal relationship between people and environmental factors

• Properties and attributes of environment that affect peoples’ sense of belonging, sense of place, topophilia, and place attachment

• Design and planning considerations and guidelines to built environment pertaining to sustainability of physical resource, cultural identity and people’s emotional feelings.

• Wastu is sustainability