Students’ perceptions towards sustainability in interior design education

Abstract Providing sustainability education to students establishes a lasting foundation of indigenous capability in addressing economic, environmental, and social challenges. Unfortunately, there is a lack of empirical evidence regarding the perception of sustainability among interior design students in India. This study investigates the perceptions of sustainability among students, focusing on a specific Indian university as a case study. The study employed a survey research design, utilizing questionnaires as the primary data collection method, and employed descriptive and inferential statistical techniques to analyze the data. The results indicate that although the students exhibited a strong sense of importance and keen interest in acquiring knowledge about sustainability, most students exhibited limited familiarity with sustainability. Furthermore, the study identified the three most prevalent understandings of sustainability - renewable energy usage, waste reduction, and energy efficiency. In addition, the study findings reveal notable and statistically significant differences between students’ understanding of sustainability and their academic level and gender. The study findings can potentially drive collaborative efforts among universities and accreditation agencies to promote sustainability knowledge and transformative practices among future interior designers in India.