Comparative Analysis and Quality Assessment of Urban Residential Environment in Navab and Ekbatan Neighborhoods Using HMR and EFA Methods

Quality of the environment is part of the overall concept of quality of life (QOL). Quality of the environment is considered to be of minor importance as compared to other aspects of QOL including one's health, family life, work, and social network. Nowadays, decline or loss of environmental quality in the urban residential environment is one of the most important crises for urban planners and policy makers. The main goal of the present research is to perfom a comparative study in two residential areas including Navab and Ekbatan neighborhoods. To this end, a questionnaire was used based on satisfaction approach and theoretical model of environmental quality. Data collection was conducted at the study field using a questioner filled in for a sample of 540 residents. Data analysis has been also conducted using the SPSS software and statistical methods such as Hierarchical Multiple Regression (HMR) approach, one sample T test and One Way Anova. Reliability and validity of the questionnaires were tested by Exploratory Factor Analysis and Cronbach's Alpha methods. According to the results, environmental quality in the Navab residential area was lower than 5>98/2>1) Versus(5>23/3>1 the environmental quality in the Ekbatan residential. Results of Hierarchical Multiple Regression show that the environmental hygiene factor in Navab (β=0/657) and the sociability factor in Ekbatan (β=./288) were of top-importance from the residents point of view. The results of Exploratory Factor Analysis show that the experimental model of quality assessment was a good fit for quality evaluation. Results of Cronbach's Alpha in Navab (α=./87) and Ekbatan (α=./86) confirmed the validity of the questionnaire