Human Behavior and
Sustainability
Ismail Said
FAB
18th August 2010
Wastu (Vastu) = Form giving in its totality
Simpler = more sustainable
Research on Human Behavior and Environment
in 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 Neighborhood, Community, City, House
• community harmony
• flood preparedness
• neighborhood integrity
Person-Environment Fit City, House, School, Classroom, Office
• sustainable interior design
• seating pattern
• dentist waiting room
Children’s environment Rural, City, Open spaces, School
• Friendliness
• Favorite place
• Affordances
• Playscape
• Social interaction
Environmentally responsible behavior General, City, Community, Building
• Global warming and mitigation
• Climate change
• Travel mode
• Recycling attitude
•Thermal sensory
Participation Residential community, City
• Household participation
• UHI mitigation
• Community security
• Cleanliness
Most-Read Articles in Journal of Environmental
Psychology
Themes
1. Environmental attitudes
2. Household energy use and waste management
3. Emotional benefits experiencing nature
4. Behavior in building
5. Place attachment and homesickness
6. 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 Town
2. Padang as Public Place in Historical City in Malaysia
3. Playscapes at home- School Way and Their Influence on
Children's Preference for Walking to School
4. Factors Affecting Park Visitation in City of Khartoum, Sudan
5. Effects of Legibility and Complexity on Path Choice Behavior
in Urban Setting
6. 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.