Analysis of the quality of the residential environment and its effective components in rural areas (Case Study: Gharabagh district - Shiraz County)

The issue of the quality of the residential environment is one of the most important issues in the process of sustainable rural development. In recent years, this topic has been the focus of academic researchers and environmental planners. Since any planning and formulation of sustainability policies aimed at improving the quality of rural residential environment requires identifying and analyzing the status quo, this research tries to identify and analyze this issue. Indicators are the most important criteria for identifying and measuring the quality of a residential environment. So far, various indices based on Physical - spatial conditions have been presented in scientific research. The first attempt of this research was to identify and document the indices and indicators of the quality of the residential environment based on the environmental conditions of the study area. By identifying the indicators, the aim is to answer the following questions. A) What is the quality level of living environment in the studied rural settlements? B) What is the relationship between respondents' contextual variables (age, education, residence, income and cost satisfaction, and job satisfaction) with their assessment of the quality of the residential environment? C) Which of the components of the quality of the residential environment has the most impact on sense of place component?

The present study is an applied one and its method is descriptive-analytical. Documentary content analysis method was used to formulate theories and obtain research indicators and indicators. In this study, a questionnaire was developed by the researcher. The indices are based on the viewpoints of 20 academic professors and 15 rural researchers in the field of scientific documentation. In the present study, the level of analysis of the village and the unit of analysis of hous eholds residing in the village. The sample size was 195 households. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used for data analysis.

Results of identifying indices of quality of living environment based on the opinion of university professors and researchers in the field of rural studies 62 indicators in the form of 6 major indicators (enjoyment and access to services and facilities, people and social relations, security and peace, body and architecture, space Housing and Environmental Health Unit) as the basis for the analysis.Findings regarding the status of residential environment quality indicated that the highest average value (3.6) and standard deviation (1.1) belonged to the indicator of having good memories of the village and the lowest average value was 1.77 and The standard deviation of 14/1 is for the public service indicator (gas station, fire station, etc.).The calculated coefficient of variation indicates that the lowest difference is related to the housing facility and the highest difference is to the public service indicator (gas station, fire station, etc.). In sum, a survey of average ratings in terms of 6 key components of the quality of the residential environment shows that the lowest and highest mean values were related to the components of access to services and facilities (2.45) and the people-relationships component, respectively. Social (equal to 3.33). Also, based on the calculated coefficient of variation, the component of people and social relations has the least dispersion and the environmental health component with the coefficient of variation equal to 0.39, has the highest dispersion and difference.

The results showed that except for two components: public relations and residential space, the other components are in poor and below average condition and the indicators of quality of living environment are lower than average. Zadeh and Alizadeh, 2013; Qadermarzai, Zare Moghani and Ziyari, 2013; Peasant Research, 1398.The results showed that except for two components: public relations and residential space, the other components are in poor and below average condition and the indicators of quality of living environment are lower than average. Zadeh and Alizadeh, 2013; Qadermarzai, Zare Moghani and Ziyari, 2013; Peasant Research, 1398. The results also showed that there is a direct and significant relationship between major indices of quality of residential environment in the study area. Other findings of the study showed a significant relationship between the variables of age, income satisfaction, education and length of stay with residents' assessment of the quality of their residential environment. In other words, people who had higher age, income, length of stay and education than those with lower levels of these variables rated the quality of their living environment more favorably.In this regard, the results of regression indicate significant effect of contextual variables on income, age and education satisfaction on residents' evaluation of the quality of rural environment. This part of the results is in line with the results of Hassan Research, 2003; Huang & Dave, 2015 ; Lin & Lee, 2017 ; Khatouni Abadi, Saberi & Ebrahimi, 2011 ; Dehghani, 1398 . Finally, considering the results obtained in order to improve the quality of the residential environment in the study area, the following suggestions are offered: 1) Improving the status of facilities and services in rural areas: Surveys showed that among the six indicators studied, the index of enjoyment and access to services and facilities is less favorable; 2) Promoting environmental health in rural areas through measures such as landfill collection, etc., planning for the disposal of surface water and runoff ; 3) attention to the promotion of the quantitative and qualitative characteristics of rural housing ; 4) Supervision of construction in rural areas; 5) Consider public participation in the preparation and formulation of physical development plans that can have an effective role in enhancing the quality of the residential environment.