Assessing the Effectiveness of Urban Environmental Management in Enhancing Quality-of-Life Security and Livability: Phase One of Sahand New City

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Department of Urban Planning, Ta, C. Islamic Azad University of Tabriz, Iran

Abstract

In recent decades, the intensification of environmental challenges in Iran’s new towns has underscored the necessity of assessing the efficiency of urban environmental management in connection with improving quality of life and urban livability. Despite possessing basic infrastructures, Sahand New Town faces several challenges in residents’ lived experiences, particularly regarding the quality of urban spaces, environmental comfort, and overall livability. Accordingly, the present study was conducted using a quantitative approach and a descriptive–analytical method, with data collected through a field survey. Data analysis using advanced statistical techniques and structural equation modeling revealed that urban environmental management plays a significant role in enhancing livability, and livability serves as a key determinant in improving urban quality of life. However, the findings indicated that environmental management does not exert a considerable direct effect on quality of life; rather, it influences residents’ perceptions of urban living conditions indirectly—especially through strengthening livability. This pattern suggests that effective environmental governance, environmentally compatible urban transportation, efficient water and wastewater systems, and improved green space quality are among the most influential factors that can transform residents’ lived experiences. Therefore, it can be concluded that the effectiveness of managerial interventions increases when urban design enables citizens to experience urban spaces in a safe, comfortable, and human-centered manner, thereby facilitating pathways for enhancing quality of life through improved livability.

Highlights

  • Livability plays a key mediating role between urban environmental management and quality of life.
  • Urban design is the mechanism for translating environmental policies into the lived experience of citizens.
  • The structural research model provides a practical framework for evaluating the effectiveness of environmental management in new cities.

Keywords

References

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Iranian Urban Design Studies
Volume 2, Issue 2 - Serial Number 4
January 2026
Pages 103-130

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History

  • Receive Date: 23 May 2025
  • Revise Date: 06 July 2025
  • Accept Date: 26 July 2025
  • First Publish Date: 30 December 2025
  • Publish Date: 20 January 2026

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