Integrating behavioral insights into the UI GreenMetric framework: applying the theory of planned behavior at Yazd University

Purpose While many higher education institutions have taken steps to integrate sustainable development into their systems, existing assessment tools, such as the UI GreenMetric, tend to emphasize physical and infrastructural indicators. These tools give limited attention to the behavioral dynamics that underpin sustainable outcomes. Despite the growing significance of user behavior in achieving institutional environmental purposes, the psychological factors that drive green behavior – such as attitudes, norms, perceived behavioral control and intention – remain underexplored in sustainability evaluation models. This research addresses this gap by integrating the theory of planned behavior (TPB) with the UI GreenMetric criteria to develop a comprehensive framework for assessing green behavior within universities. Focusing on Yazd University, a recognized leader in sustainability among Iranian universities, this paper aims to evaluate how individual behaviors interact with institutional indicators to support or constrain environmental performance. Design/methodology/approach The research framework comprises two models: a main model and a hypothetical model, developed based on factors derived from the UI GreenMetric and TPB models, respectively. This quantitative study used two questionnaires to examine the relationship between these factors and green behaviors. The collected data were analyzed using structural equation modeling, through which the research hypotheses were tested and verified. Data were collected from a total of 555 respondents at Yazd University, including 391 students and 164 staff members. Findings The results show that norms significantly influence green intentions, while attitudes have a strong direct relationship with green behavior. While the direct effect of intention on green behavior is modest, intention functions as a key mediating variable, enhancing the indirect effects of attitude, norms and perceived behavioral control. As a latent construct, intention plays a critical moderating role in shaping the overall relationship between psychological factors and green behaviors of users. Originality/value This research presents a novel sustainability assessment tool that integrates key factors from the UI GreenMetric and TPB models to evaluate green behavior in universities. It confirms that green behavior is only enacted when preceded by positive intention, which arises when an individual satisfies the three key factors of the TPB. These findings can be used by researchers, officials, policymakers and environmentalists to promote green, sustainable behavior in university settings.