Scientometric Analysis of Research Trends in Smart and Sustainable Architecture in Educational Environments: With an Emphasis on Green Schools and Campuses

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to conduct a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of research trends in the field of sustainable and smart architecture in educational environments, with a particular focus on green schools and university campuses, during the period 1990–2025. Educational spaces, as crucial settings for knowledge development and social interaction, play a pivotal role in shaping sustainable behaviors among future generations. In recent decades, accelerated technological transformations, the global environmental crisis, and the necessity of aligning with sustainable development goals have highlighted the need for rethinking the design of educational facilities. Against this backdrop, this research aims to identify the intellectual structure, thematic clusters, and evolutionary trajectory of the scholarly output in this area. It also seeks to determine the most influential authors, institutions, and countries contributing to the advancement of knowledge in sustainable and smart educational architecture.
Methodology: The study adopts a bibliometric and science-mapping approach. Data were collected from the Web of Science (WoS) core collection, one of the most authoritative international scientific databases, ensuring comprehensive coverage of high-quality scholarly works. A total of 736 documents, including research articles, review papers, and conference proceedings published between 1990 and August 2025, were retrieved. After eliminating duplicates and cleaning metadata through Zotero, the data were processed using VOSviewer 1.6.20. The analysis involved co-citation, co-authorship, co-occurrence of keywords, and bibliographic coupling techniques, allowing the identification of research fronts, intellectual foundations, and emerging topics. This multi-stage procedure ensured a systematic, transparent, and reproducible analysis of the field.
Findings: The temporal analysis revealed a relatively stable research output until the mid-2000s, followed by a significant surge beginning around 2010. This growth accelerated markedly post-2015, coinciding with the establishment of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This trend highlights the growing global recognition of sustainable educational environments as a critical research area. Citation analysis further identified highly influential works that established the theoretical foundations of the field, particularly those addressing biophilic design, environmental psychology, and international green building standards such as Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) and Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM).
The conceptual mapping indicated six interconnected domains of inquiry that collectively shape the intellectual structure of the field: Sustainable and Environmental Design, User Experience and Spatial Quality, Energy Efficiency and Green Buildings, Health and Sustainable Urban Development, Environmental Participation and Education, and Architectural Education with a Socio-Cultural Approach. Research on sustainable architecture and environmental design emphasizes the integration of ecological and biophilic principles into school and campus planning, while studies on human experience and spatial quality explore comfort, perception, and well-being, with particular attention to children and students. Another important stream focuses on energy efficiency and building performance, highlighting the role of advanced digital tools such as BIM, IoT, and smart energy systems in enhancing resilience and resource management. A further cluster links health, learning, and urban sustainability, examining how educational spaces contribute to public health, urban green infrastructure, and the broader sustainability agenda. In parallel, investigations into participation, education, and environmental behavior underscore the importance of cultural, social, and behavioral aspects in achieving long-term sustainability. Finally, research on architectural pedagogy and socio-cultural sustainability stresses the responsibility of architectural education and design studios in embedding cultural identity, social equity, and participatory practices into sustainable design processes. The international collaboration analysis revealed that the United States, China, Australia, and several European countries are the leading contributors, forming robust scientific networks and advancing global standards. In contrast, developing countries in Asia and the Middle East are increasingly present in this field but face persistent challenges in adapting universal sustainability frameworks to their specific socio-cultural and climatic conditions. The findings also highlight the prevailing imbalance between technically oriented quantitative studies and the relative scarcity of qualitative, user-centered research that captures the lived experiences of students and communities within sustainable educational environments.
Conclusion: The study concludes that research in sustainable and smart educational architecture has evolved from a narrow, technology- and energy-oriented perspective toward a multidimensional, interdisciplinary framework that integrates environmental, social, cultural, and psychological dimensions. Future directions are expected to be shaped by the convergence of advanced technologies as artificial intelligence, Internet of Things (IoT), and digital twins, with participatory and biophilic design approaches. This paradigm shift will require bridging the gap between global frameworks and local conditions, ensuring that sustainable educational environments not only optimize energy performance but also foster well-being, equity, and a sense of place for students and communities. By providing a systematic mapping of the field over three and a half decades, this study contributes to the understanding of the intellectual landscape and future opportunities in sustainable and smart architecture for educational settings. The insights can guide policymakers, architects, and researchers in developing integrated strategies to design schools and campuses that serve as models of resilience, innovation, and ecological responsibility.