Assessment Residents' Satisfaction in Minimum Housing’s based on Human Needs

 Introduction: One of the most common solutions to providing housing by governments is planning and building social housing. Minimization is widely used as a practical approach in social housing so that this type of housing can also be called minimum housing. Minimizing spaces in minimum housing, as a common solution, neglects the quality of residential environments, which has an impact on the quality of human life and, as a result, satisfaction in the residential environment. Therefore, paying attention to the factors that influence the quality of life and thus the satisfaction of minimum housing is important. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effective factors in meeting the human needs in minimum housing, which in turn lead to an increased level of residential satisfaction in residents. This study seeks to answer the following questions; which factors affect the satisfaction of residents in housing, and how and to what extent each of these factors impact on human needs and consequently in the satisfaction of residents of minimum housing? The research investigates critical design parameters that address occupant needs in minimum housing units, with the ultimate objective of improving measurable indicators of residential satisfaction through evidence-based architectural solutions.
Methodology: In the first part of this paper, the descriptive analysis method was used to determine the effective factors to create satisfaction with the study of researches and reviewing credible literature resources in the field. Then, according to the effective factors, the questionnaire’s questions were developed based on the micro criteria of each factor and also the content goal table. A questionnaire structure is formed to evaluate 5 human factors (physiological need, peace and security, territoriality, aesthetics, sense of place, and belonging) and 7 environmental factors (housing facilities, safety, access, environmental health, public and green spaces, urban landscape, and flexibility). In this study, a closed-answer questionnaire was used, and questions to measure the main variables used a 5-point Likert scale. Using this questionnaire, from 331 residents of Mehr housing in Rasht, 8 individual questions and 37 evaluation questions for 5 human factors and 7 environmental factors were questioned. Cronbach's alpha coefficient for the research questionnaire was estimated at 0.854 using SPSS software.
 
*Corresponding Author: amirreza_karimiazeri@guilan.ac.ir
Copyright: © 2024 by the authors. Submitted for possible open access publication under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
 
 
 
Since its value is more than 70%, the obtained alpha coefficient indicates the reliability of the research questionnaire.
Mean, standard deviation of scores, and Kolmogorov-Smirnov test were used to evaluate the research variables in the descriptive statistics analysis part, and in the inferential statistics analysis section, nonparametric Spearman correlation coefficient and Friedman test were used.The study population comprises residents of Mehr Housing in Rasht, Iran. A total of 331 questionnaires were distributed among residents, with collected responses undergoing systematic analysis.
Results: Analysis of the results, which presents descriptive statistics of the research variables, reveals the following:

The highest mean score (17.84) corresponds to the Housing Utilities variable.
The lowest mean score (5.50) is associated with the safety variable.

Based on the results obtained from the correlation matrix table, the calculated correlation coefficients indicate significant relationships between:

Creating flexibility in residential built environments and establishing personal boundaries/territoriality,
Emphasizing urban aesthetics and enhancing sense of beauty, and
Improving accessibility and strengthening place attachment.

To determine the significance of differences in mean satisfaction ranks among human and environmental factors, the Friedman test was employed.
The Friedman test results indicate that, according to participants' responses:

The lowest ranking was assigned to the Physiological Needs variable (mean rank = 1.79).
The highest ranking was given to the Tranquility and Safety variable (mean rank = 3.68).

Conclusion: The study revealed that beyond fundamental considerations of lighting, spatial dimensions, per capita standards (housing utilities), and safety in minimum housing design, parameters such as adaptability, optimal accessibility, and urban landscape significantly enhance housing quality and address human needs. Incorporating these components in minimum housing design is crucial for improving resident satisfaction. Furthermore, addressing territorial needs, fostering place attachment, and integrating aesthetic quality through formulated spatial design principles—both physically and functionally—can effectively achieve these objectives.The following table was developed through synthesizing inferential findings, factor ranking, and comparing the highest-impact environmental factors on human dimensions. By analyzing the degree of influence each environmental factor exerts on human factors, particularly the highest-ranked components, we can discern their relative importance in design. Consequently, establishing appropriate design principles for each selected environmental factor can enhance resident satisfaction and meet behavioral needs, ultimately improving quality of life in minimum housing. Examining influential components of residential satisfaction serves as criteria and metrics for evaluating existing housing environments. These criteria and metrics can further inform the development of architectural solutions for residential spaces, addressing human needs through integrated environmental and human factors to enhance housing quality and ultimately increase resident satisfaction.