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1. Introduction
There are many benefits to sustainability in the built environment, such as increased productivity in commercial buildings, decreased indoor air quality-related health problems and cost savings because of more efficient use of resources within the building (Celik et al. , 2009). In addition to many benefits to their owners and occupants, green buildings also respect ecosystems as a whole and, in various ways, attempt to become a part of the natural environment, as opposed to working against it (Fitch and Bobenhausen, 1999; Roper and Beard, 2006). Despite the ongoing discussions regarding what is sustainable or how sustainable is a building; these attempts all represent a concern for the environment at some level.
Studies show that education, training and incentives are causing university students to become more concerned with their environment and the environment of the next generation (Levy and Dilwali, 2000). Providing the opportunity to live in a sustainably built environment has become an important differentiating factor among universities around the world and is becoming increasingly important to students in terms of both how they adopt sustainable practices and their choice of a university. The majority of students and their parents are making acceptance decisions based on a university's environmental commitment (Princeton Review, 2012).
Many universities are taking their sustainability efforts seriously in an attempt to attract students by ranking high on green organization lists, such as the "Green Colleges List" issued by The Princeton Review, the US Green Building Council (USGBC) or the Sierra Club Sustainability Report Card each year.
This study assumes a significant connection between sustainability and environmental concerns and recognizes that more students care about the environment and want to live sustainably. Authors measure college student's level of environmental responsibility to determine which specific type of sustainability the students are looking for in their environment. Do students prefer their dorms to be sustainable? If so, which aspect about the built environment is most valuable to students who have varying levels of environmental concern? Results can help universities understand what students are looking for and, therefore, provide more motivation for sustainably built universities.
Understanding the different factors that affect environmental behavior can aid in the development of more effective messages to help promote sustainable practices. From a broader perspective, delivering...