Document Type : Original Article
Authors
1 Ph.D student. of Geography and Urban Planning,Islamic Azad UniversityLarestan branch, Iran
2 ): Assistant Professor, Department of Geography, Islamic Azad University, Larestan Branch, Iran
3 Assistant Professor, Department of Geography, Islamic Azad University, Larestan Branch, Iran
Abstract
Rapid urbanization and pressure on natural resources have highlighted the importance of enhancing urban livability. Urban livability, focusing on citizens’ quality of life, well-being, and health, is influenced by environmental indicators, microclimatic conditions, and biophilic factors. Accordingly, this study aims to assess the factors affecting urban livability with Emphasis on Microclimatic and Biophilic Indicators in the Metropolis of Shiraz. The research is applied in nature and follows a descriptive-analytical approach, with data collected through library and field methods. Geographic Weighted Regression (GWR) was employed for data analysis. The results indicated that, in the economic dimension of livability, an average unemployment rate of 37.4% and female economic participation of 12.18% reflect concentrated unemployment and weak female participation, whereas the labor force ratio of 34.28% and employment rate of 87.53% suggest relative stability in the labor market. In the social dimension, aging at 6.66% and prevalence of lower-level occupations at 51.68% indicate class-related challenges. In the physical dimension, apartment dwelling at 36.54% and units under 100 m² at 48.6% demonstrate concentrated density and the small scale of housing in the city. Microclimatic and biophilic indicators showed that NDVI distribution in Shiraz is heterogeneous and concentrated in peripheral gardens and riverbanks, while dense central areas with higher DTR, lower albedo, and higher heat absorption suffer from thermal instability. Moreover, spatial differences in seasonal precipitation, especially in northern parts, indicate higher vulnerability to water stress and spatial inequality in urban environmental quality. The GWR model revealed that the economic, social, and physical dimensions explain approximately 38% of the variation in Shiraz’s biophilic-microclimatic index, with effects being heterogeneous and more pronounced in central and northern areas. Therefore, enhancing urban livability in Shiraz requires strengthening microclimatic and biophilic elements, and urban planning should adopt an environment-oriented approach that simultaneously considers economic, social, and physical dimensions
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