Alexander College researcher Dr Stelios Stefanos Drousiotis, Interior Architectural Designer and Lecturer/Researcher in the BDes Interior Design Pathway at Alexander College, Cyprus / Canterbury Christ Church University (CCCU), UK, has published a new article examining greenwashing, sustainability and environmental accountability in Cyprus, with a particular focus on the built environment, architecture and Interior Design.
As sustainability becomes increasingly embedded within environmental policy, professional practice and consumer culture, its language has also become a powerful mechanism for communicating environmental responsibility. Terms such as green, eco-friendly, natural, sustainable and environmentally responsible are now widely used across products, services and the built environment. Yet the increasing visibility of this language does not necessarily correspond with measurable environmental performance. This tension has intensified concerns surrounding greenwashing, whereby environmental claims, imagery or sustainability narratives may exaggerate, simplify or inadequately substantiate the ecological credentials of a product, organization or project.
This article critically examines greenwashing within the context of Cyprus, with particular attention to the built environment, architecture and Interior Design. Adopting a critical, conceptual and practice-informed approach, it draws on contemporary academic literature, European Union legislation, the developing Cypriot regulatory context, and the authors research and professional experience in Interior Design and sustainability education.
The analysis considers environmental claims, material specification, certification, visual representations of “green” design and circularity, alongside the increasing requirement for credible and verifiable environmental information. It further examines how Cyprus climatic conditions, dependence on imported materials, construction practices and evolving sustainability landscape influence the translation of environmental ambition into professional practice.
The article argues that addressing greenwashing requires more than eliminating misleading terminology; it demands a broader transition
from Claim → Evidence → Practice → Accountability. This conceptual progression provides a framework for examining whether sustainability claims are supported by credible evidence, translated into professional decision-making and followed by accountability for environmental outcomes. By positioning environmental transparency as both a professional and ethical responsibility, the article argues for a more credible and evidence-based sustainability culture in Cyprus.