Journal of Sustainable Urban & Regional Development Studies (JSURDS)
Quarterly

Structural Equation Modeling of Factors Affecting the Livability of Urban Neighborhoods Case Study: Sardab Neighborhood, Nahavand City

Articles in Press

Document Type : Article extracted from dissertations

Authors

zahra bahiraei 1
Kianoosh Zakerhaghighi 2

1 Department of Urban Planning, Faculty of Architecture and Urban Planning, Isfahan University of Art, Isfahan, Iran

2 Department of Urban Planning and Design, ST.C., Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.

Abstract
Introduction: Livability, as a multidimensional concept related to the quality of life in urban spaces, has attracted considerable attention in urban planning over recent decades. Paying attention to the factors affecting livability, particularly in old and inefficient urban neighborhoods, plays a crucial role in improving residents’ quality of life. The aim of this research is to identify local indicators and dimensions of livability and to examine their interrelationships in the Sardab neighborhood of Nahavand city, which is located within a dilapidated urban fabric.
Research Methodology: This research was conducted within the framework of the positivist paradigm using a quantitative approach and is descriptive–analytical in nature. Data were collected through both library research and field surveys. In the field study, data were obtained by distributing questionnaires among 240 residents of the neighborhood. To analyze the relationships between variables and to assess the effects of the indicators, structural equation modeling (SEM) and AMOS Graphics software were employed.
Findings and Discussion: The findings indicate that, in the social dimension, the participation and social cohesion index has the greatest impact on livability. In the economic dimension, public transportation was identified as the most influential factor, while in the environmental dimension, green and open spaces exert the strongest effect on neighborhood livability. The significance and strength of the relationships among indicators were evaluated using the structural equation model.
Conclusion: Based on the findings, it can be concluded that promoting livability at the neighborhood scale requires the localization of indicators in accordance with local needs, along with simultaneous consideration of their significance and magnitude of impact on different dimensions of livability. These findings can be effectively applied in neighborhood development planning and urban management.

Keywords

Neighborhood Livability
Urban Quality of Life
Livability Indicators
Structural equation modeling (SEM)
Nahavand
Subjects
Ahmed, N. O., El-Halafawy, A. M., & Amin, A. M. (2019). A critical review of urban livability. European Journal of Sustainable Development, 8(1), 165-165.Doi: /10.14207/ejsd.2019.v8n1p165
Allan Jacobs, Donald Appleyard. (1987)  "Toward an Urban Design Manifesto." Journal of the American Planning Association 53.1 112-120 https://doi.org/10.1080/01944368708976642
Emami Gheshlaq, M, Bahiraei, Z, Abdollahipour, H, (2020). Promoting social livability through crime prevention through environmental design (CPTED), Journal of Crime Prevention Studies, 15(55), 143-170 (in Persian). https://doi.org/10.22034/cps.2020.94650
Fu, C., & Zhang, H. (2023). Evaluation of Urban Ecological Livability from a Synergistic Perspective: A Case Study of Beijing City, China. Sustainability, 15(13), 10476. https://doi.org/10.3390/su151310476
Ghorbanpour. M, Sedaghatnia .S, Daneshpour, S.A, (2020). An Analysis of Residents' views of the Neighborhoods in the District 8 of Tehran about the Impact of COVID-19 outbreak on the Indicators and Factors of Livable Neighborhoods, Journal of Urban and Regional Development Planning, 5(13), 1-36(in Persian). https://www.doi.org/10.22054/urdp.2021.59868.1307
http://web.usm.my/jcdc/index.html
Hussein Hanafy Azam, R., & Mohamed Helal Hamdy, D. (2022). Applying Urban Livability indicators in gated communities. Engineering Research Journal, 174(0), 355-369. https://doi.org/10.21608/erj.2022.243333
Larice, M, Z, (2005), “Great neighborhoods: the livability and morphology high-density neighborhoods in urban North America” University of California, Berkeley. https://www.proquest.com/openview/735365bb25cdec5781e175a685814bbc/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=18750&diss=y
Lau leby jasmine & Hashim, Ahmad Hariza (2010), Liveability dimensions and attributes: their relative importan the eyes of neighbourhood resid dents, journal of construchion in developing countries
Li W.-Y., Yao C.-C. )2018(Trends of liveability in the capital region of Taiwan. J. Asian Archit. Build. Eng. ;12(October):293–300. doi: 10.3130/jaabe.12.293. [Google Scholar]
Lotfi,S , Parizadi,T and Nejati,A . (2018). Examining the status of livability of urban neighborhoods (A case study of zone 10 Tehran). Geography and Regional Planning, 8(31), 7-22(in Persian). https://dor.isc.ac/dor/20.1001.1.22286462.1397.8.3.23.4
M. Pacione)1990( “Urban liveability: a review,” Urban Geography,vol. 11, no. 1, pp. 1–30,. https://doi.org/10.2747/0272-3638.11.1.1
M. Ruth and R. S. Franklin)2014(, “Livability for all? Conceptual limits and practical implications,” Applied Geography, vol. 49,pp. 18–23,https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apgeog.2013.09.018
Mouratidis, K. (2018). Is compact city livable? The impact of compact versus sprawled neighbourhoods on neighbourhood satisfaction. Urban studies, 55(11), 2408-2430.doi: 10.1177/0042098017729109.[Google Scholar]
Mouratidis, K. (2020). Commute satisfaction, neighborhood satisfaction, and housing satisfaction as predictors of subjective well-being and indicators of urban livability. Travel Behaviour and Society, 21, 265-278. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tbs.2020.07.006 
National Association of Area Agencies on Aging(N4A)(2007), Blueprint for Action: Developing a Livable Community for All Ages, MetLife Foundation, may, www.n4a.org www.livable.com.
National Research council (2002), community and quality of life, data needs for informed decision making national Academy press Washington https://doi.org/10.17226/10262
P. W. G. Newman). 1999(“Sustainability and cities: extending the metabolism model,” Landscape and Urban Planning, vol. 44,no. 4, pp. 219–226. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0169-2046(99)00009-2
Pandey. R . et al(2013), Understanding Qualitative Conceptions of Livability: Indian Perspective, International Journal of Research in Engineering and Technology.:374. http://dx.doi.org/10.15623/ijret.2013.0212064
Paul, A., & Sen, J. (2020). A critical review of liveability approaches and their dimensions. Geoforum; a journal of physical, human, and regional geosciences, 117, 90–92.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoforum.2020.09.008
Peyvastehgar .Y, Moradi. E, (2022). The Viability Measurement of Urban Neighborhoods for Sustainable Development (A Case Study: Yasuj City), Journal of Spatial Planning, 26(2), 100-126 (in Persian). http://dorl.net/dor/20.1001.1.16059689.1401.26.2.5.9
Pierson, Jane & Cavanaugh & Hagan & Pierson & Mintz (2010) ARTS and livability: the ROAD TO BETTER METRICS, A report from the june 2010 NEA research forum, national endowment for the arts https://www.arts.gov/sites/default/files/Arts-and-Livability-Whitepaper.pdf
salarimoghadam,Z , ziari,K and hataminejad,H . (2019). Evaluation of Urban Livability in Neighborhoods of District 15 of Tehran metropolis. Sustainable city, 2(3), 41-58(in Persian). https://dor.isc.ac/dor/20.1001.1.24766631.1398.2.3.3.5
Sasanpour F, Alizadeh S, Aarabi Moghadam H. (2018). Investigating the Feasibility of Urumia Urban Areas Livability using RALSPI Model. jgs. 18(48), 241-258(in Persian). doi:10.29252/jgs.18.48.241
Sasanpour, F., Tavalaiy, S., & Jafari asadabadi, H. (2015). Study of urban livability in twenty-two districts of Tehran metropolitan, Journal of Regional Planning, 5(18), 27-42(in Persian). https://ensani.ir/fa/article/343162
Sofeska E (2017), Understanding the liveability in a city through smart solutions and urban planning toward developing sustainable liveable future of the city of Skopje. Procedia Environ. Sci;37:442–453. doi: 10.1016/j.proenv.2017.03.014. [CrossRef]
Stanislav, A., & Chin, J. T. (2019). Evaluating livability and perceived values of sustainable neighborhood design: New Urbanism and original urban suburbs. Sustainable cities and society, 47, 101517. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scs.2019.101517
Tyce Herrman , Rebecca Lewis(2017), What is Livability? SCI Research Director, University of Oregon. https://sci.uoregon.edu/sites/default/files/sub_1_-_what_is_livability_lit_review.pdf
Wheeler, (2001),  Planning Sustainable and livability cities, Stephen https://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&as_sdt=0,5&cluster=11002643260706149495
Xu, H., Guo, X., (2017). Study on analysis model of key influencing factors of urban environment liveability. Adv. Eng. Res. 94 (ICSD 2016), pp. 460–464. http://www.atlantis-press.com/php/download_paper.php?id=25871406. [Ref list
Journal of Sustainable Urban & Regional Development Studies (JSURDS)

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 14 July 2026

  • Receive Date 21 March 2026
  • Revise Date 13 June 2026
  • Accept Date 13 July 2026
  • First Publish Date 14 July 2026
  • Publish Date 14 July 2026

Home

Guide for Authors

Submit Manuscript

Contact Us