Enhancing sustainable behavior via a serious game: the role of biophilic design in real and virtual settings

Abstract

Traditional sustainable design efforts often fail to significantly influence human behavior towards sustainability. This gap highlights the need for innovative approaches to encourage environmentally responsible actions in built environments. The aim of this thesis is to explore the potential of biophilic design—an architectural approach that integrates natural elements into built environments—to foster sustainable behaviors. Additionally, the study introduces the use of serious games as a novel tool to simulate real-world scenarios and influence behavior towards sustainability. Serious games can bridge the gap between awareness and action, offering a unique opportunity to reshape attitudes toward sustainability. The research involved 162 participants and was conducted in four distinct environments: two real-world settings, a non-immersive computer environment, and an immersive virtual reality (VR) setting. The study compared behaviors in biophilic and non-biophilic environments, and examined the role of serious games in enhancing sustainable behaviors in these different contexts. Findings reveal that biophilic design in real environments positively influences sustainable behaviors more than non-biophilic environments. Moreover, integrating biophilic design into serious games further enhances these behaviors, especially when experienced in an immersive virtual reality (VR) setting. The study underscores the potential of combining biophilic design with serious games as a powerful strategy to promote sustainable behaviors, offering insights into how digital tools can reconnect individuals with nature and encourage environmentally responsible actions.