Green Building, Green Behavior? An Analysis of Building Characteristics that Support Environmentally Responsible Behaviors

First Published online: July 24, 2020 <br>Issue Published: May 1, 2021<br><br>This study examines the environmentally responsible behaviors (ERBs) of undergraduates (n=575). ERBs were measured in an online survey and the influence of situational context on behavior was explored at two scales: 1) green versus non-green building and 2) building characteristics. The Positive Sustainable Built Environments model was used to analyze three building characteristics: Prime, Permit, and Invite. Prime refers to characteristics that prepare occupants to adopt ERBs via communicating a sustainable ethos or restoring attentional capacity (e.g., use of natural materials and views to nature). Permit refers to features that allow occupants to conserve resources (e.g., operable light switches). Invite pertains to features that explicitly encourage ERBs (e.g., signage prompting occupants to turn off lights). Regression results demonstrated that living in a green building had no significant impact on ERB