The architecture and engineering industry employs resource-efficient sustainable building design (SBDC) to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate environmental damage. This study examines the understanding and practice of SBDC among Chinese architecture students. A survey of 555 undergraduates from China’s architecture universities was conducted. Two independent and seven dependent variables were analyzed to evaluate the impact of academic stages and practical experiences on students’ awareness. The findings reveal that over 70% of respondents consider SBDC important in architecture. More than half have taken courses with over 30% SBDC content. However, 45.85% of respondents only have a basic understanding of SBDC. This result underscores the significance of educational disparities, this insufficiency is likely due to inadequate coverage and representation of SBDC in the curriculum. Our study highlights the necessity of enhancing SBDC-related education within the current curriculum framework to ensure all students receive a systematic and comprehensive knowledge of sustainable building design.

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