A sustainable city starts from schools: a qualitative study of barriers to green school development from the lens of Iranian experts

The establishment of green schools offers multifarious advantages, including the promotion of environmentally-conscious behaviors, optimization of resource consumption, improvement of public health, and enhancement of community engagement. However, recent advancements in the design and construction of green schools across various communities have highlighted certain deficiencies and indicated that the rate of progress in these schools is slower than expected, warranting a more detailed examination. This research aims to identify barriers to the evolution of green schools by leveraging insights from key informants through qualitative content analysis. Thirty-three comprehensive, semi-structured interviews, covering a wide range of expertise and occupations, were conducted using purposive sampling until theoretical saturation was achieved. The analysis of the collected data revealed three main themes: “Sociocultural,” "Institutional," and “Economic,” which were divided into 13 sub-themes and characterized by 42 distinct codes. The findings accentuate the necessity to devise comprehensive strategies—spanning local, national, and global paradigms—to navigate these challenges, requiring the proactive engagement of multiple stakeholders and influential entities during the preliminary planning stages. By addressing these impediments, the momentum behind green school initiatives can be reinvigorated, catalyzing sustainability and heralding significant ecological dividends.