Sowing Seeds of Sustainability: Assessing the Effects of a Green Residential Hall Program in Hong Kong

Abstract

This study assesses the impact of a sustainability-focused residential hall in Hong Kong on the environmental awareness and adoption of sustainable practices of its student residents. The hall provides an immersive learning environment, offering hands-on activities such as eco-gardening, sustainability drives, seminars, and workshops to impart sustainability knowledge and skills. Utilizing a mixed-methods approach, this study gathered quantitative data through a questionnaire on environmental beliefs and pro-environmental intention, revealing a significant enhancement in environmental awareness among students with more than two semesters of residence in the hall. Qualitative research explored the impact of residential hall experiences on the residents’ environmental mindset, uncovering three themes: immersive experiences, long-term habituation, and the visibility of outcomes. These findings suggest that living in a sustainability-themed residential hall shapes students’ environmental attitudes and behaviors, reinforcing the value of integrating residential education within Environmental Sustainability Education (ESE) frameworks. This study highlights the potential of residential halls or communities as catalysts for fostering a culture of sustainability within academic communities, offering insights for educators and policy-makers in designing effective ESE strategies.