This study was the first EU-wide effort to bring together evidence on how schools can combine sustainable design and learning practices, while also contributing to student health and well-being. It highlights the role schools can play as both learning spaces and hubs for climate resilience, health, and sustainability. Its main objectives were to:
- Map national and institutional approaches to sustainable school learning environments.
- Assess how physical spaces influence students’ well-being, health, and learning outcomes.
- Identify challenges and enablers at institutional and policy levels.
- Provide practical guidance for schools and policymakers.
The research team faced several challenges, including the lack of comparable data across Member States on how widespread sustainable learning spaces are, difficulty in engaging national experts in some countries, and the demands of carrying out an ambitious study under a limited budget and tight timelines - the study duration was ultimately extended by 2 months.
The study combined several methods:
- Literature and policy reviews across all EU Member States.
- Comparative analysis of national policies and strategic documents.
- An open call for good practice (survey of school leaders, experts, and stakeholders).
- Case studies of innovative schools and policy initiatives.
- Scoping and validation workshops to test and refine findings, and dissemination event.
The project delivered a set of practical outputs for both policy and practice: a Final Report mapping the state of play across the EU; a Toolkit with step-by-step guidance for schools; a Compendium of Good Practices; detailed Case Studies; and an Animated Video explaining sustainable learning environments in simple terms. The results and outputs were shared at a final webinar that brought together more than 220 participants from 37 countries, including policymakers, architects, school leaders, teachers, researchers, and parents.