QUALITY OF LIFE IN CONTEMPORARY NEIGHBORHOOD DESIGN INITIATIVES : AN EMPIRICAL STUDY TO ASSESS QUALITY OF LIFE THROUGH SPATIAL DIMENSION IN NEW URBANIST AND LEED-ND CERTIFIED NEIGHBORHOODS

Summary

The overarching purpose of this study is to analyze qualitatively and quantitatively the spatial characteristics of two types of neighborhoods, namely New Urbanist (NU) neighborhoods and Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certified neighborhoods. LEED certified neighborhoods are commonly referred to as LEED for Neighborhood Development (LEED-ND). In this research study, the spatial quality of these two types of neighborhoods was examined through assessing the quality of five... Show moreThe overarching purpose of this study is to analyze qualitatively and quantitatively the spatial characteristics of two types of neighborhoods, namely New Urbanist (NU) neighborhoods and Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certified neighborhoods. LEED certified neighborhoods are commonly referred to as LEED for Neighborhood Development (LEED-ND). In this research study, the spatial quality of these two types of neighborhoods was examined through assessing the quality of five dimensions of a neighborhood’s urban form, which are: safety, comfort, connectivity, place making and aesthetic quality. Three types of neighborhoods were selected and examined using two main analytical tools: neighborhood scorecard, and residents’ survey. Two neighborhoods were selected to examine NU neighborhoods in Michigan in the United States, which are Cherry Hill Village (CHV) a greenfield residential development, and Mason Run (MR) a brownfield residential development. The third neighborhood was selected to examine LEED-ND certified neighborhoods, which is Saint Luke (SL) neighborhood in Ohio in the United States. The neighborhood scorecard included a total of 150 design guidelines that yield better Quality of Life (QoL) in residential developments through urban form. The residents’ survey included a set of questions that examined the residents’ perceptions regarding the five physical characteristics necessary to yield better QoL. A total of 154 surveys were collected for data analysis that used one-way ANOVA tests, Tukey’s post-hoc tests, and multiple regression models. The major findings from the neighborhood scorecard are that CHV neighborhood provides was safer than the brownfield NU residential development and the LEED-ND certified neighborhood. Both NU neighborhoods provided more comfortable environments of their residents to live in more than the LEED-ND certified neighborhood. The greenfield NU neighborhood earned more points than the other two neighborhoods in terms of the internal and external connectivity degree of the neighborhood. In terms of fulfilling the recommended design guidelines for place making and aesthetic quality, again the Greenfield NU neighborhood had earned higher points than the other two neighborhoods. The major findings from the survey are: Survey participants living in both NU neighborhoods were more satisfied with their QoL more than the participants living in the LEED-ND certified neighborhood. Also, respondents living in NU neighborhoods perceived their neighborhoods as safer places to live in more than participants living in the LEED-ND certified neighborhood. On the other hand, respondents living in the NU brownfield development perceived their neighborhood as the least comfortable neighborhood. In terms of the internal connectivity of the neighborhood, respondents living in NU greenfield development identified the internal connectivity of their neighborhood as the highest compared to the other two neighborhoods. On the other hand, the perception of the internal connectivity perception was the lowest amongst respondents living in the LEED-ND certified neighborhood. Respondents living in the LEED-ND certified neighborhood had the highest mean in terms of their perceptions of sense of belonging. On the other hand, respondents living in the NU brownfield development had the lowest mean in terms of their perception of sense of belonging. The perception of the aesthetic quality of the neighborhood was the highest among respondents living in the NU greenfield development. On the other hand, the perception of aesthetic quality of the neighborhood was the least among respondents living in NU brownfield development.This research study concludes by suggesting recommendations to improve the principles and design guidelines of NU and LEED-ND certified neighborhoods to achieve better QoL. The recommendations suggest emphasizing certain spatial characteristics that yield better QoL in Greenfield, and brownfield residential developments. Show less