Media coverage on green buildings may complement sustainability education

Recently constructed buildings that utilize green science technologies such as green roofs, sustainable material, native plant species, and nature-based landscaping have become popular as solutions for sustainable construction are needed in light of climate change and ecosystem awareness. As the media informs most of the public with up-to-date news about the world, such coverage about green building performance could enhance sustainable practices and environmental education. The combination of media influence and the growing presence of Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certified science museums provide opportunities for the public to experience the features of green buildings. These experiences can incite discussions by museum visitors of sustainability and green science architecture. For this study, media coverage of eight different green building museums in the United States to identify the features of green museum architecture which were covered by the media and the types of discussions on sustainability were featured in the press based on the reported architecture.

This review focused on green museums, which are LEED-certified buildings with LEED-certified technologies and sustainable architecture. To determine which green museums to study, the researchers followed the following criteria: they needed to be LEED-certified natural history or science museums from each time zone in the United States; have press coverage on the construction of the museum; and, have media sources with open and free access to the public. The search results yielded eight green museums located in California (2), Colorado (2), Kansas, Missouri, Massachusetts, and Vermont. The researchers analyzed the information they found from press sources to sort and identify green building terms associated with each museum. In all, 96 articles were analyzed.

The most common topics covered in the articles were green roofs, building materials, stormwater mitigation, native plants, and heating/cooling. The articles highlighted the costs of building projects and information about what it meant to be LEED-certified. The media coverage about the green building projects also focused on larger sustainability issues. Topics like renewable energy and biodiversity loss were mentioned in the articles and overlapped with social and environmental themes discussed in sustainability education. For example, one article touched on how building materials were locally sourced and recyclable.

There were limitations in this study, so the results are not generalizable. The literature review yielded a small sample size of green museums and articles reviewed. Another limitation is the process by which a building or museum is labeled as ‘green' because descriptors or building features may be subjective or the terminology may vary over time and space.

These results show how media coverage of green museum buildings can impact the public's understanding of environmental issues beyond the building itself. The authors suggest communications professionals should advertise their organization's green building features (as applicable) to support sustainability. Educators should consider tying in easily visible building futures, like a green roof, into their lessons as it is a feature the public is likely familiar with. Green buildings hold great educational potential and can initiate conversations about sustainability with the public.