Structural-Interpretive Modeling of Effective Factors on Realization Ecological City (Case study: Bojnourd City)

Extended Abstract
Background and purpose: Eco-city is a city that has been formed and managed on the bases of the principles of environment-friendly living, eliminating carbon waste, producing energy from renewable sources, creating an environment in the city, stimulating economic growth, reducing poverty, organizing city for higher population densities, greater efficiency and improve health. According to Register’s view, an Eco-city is based on the principles that human settlements can be environmentally sustainable and livable, as well as intensive, supportive of urban life, compatible with the ecological zone and ecological improvement. Thus, reducing energy consumption, promoting biological communities, health, social justice, prioritizing non-motorized transportation, and helping the economy in these cities are considered. Among the issues, especially in the last decade development of Bojnourd city that should be paid more attention to these days due to rapid urban development, attracting a significant population of immigrants seeking the development of urban and even metropolitan services and facilities, creating disorder and inability to expand the city. The growth of the urban population, the increase in dependence and the use of private cars due to the inefficiency of public transport, the significant volume of congestion and urban traffic, the spread of various environmental pollutants such as air pollution, noise pollution, and in some cases even visual pollution. The necessity and importance of paying attention to the city of Bojnourd from the perspective of the ecological city approach are because with the continuation of this situation, the city of Bojnourd distances itself from its context and capabilities to become an ecological city and these problems intensify; In this case, planning and dealing with it will require more time and money. Therefore, by using new and world-renowned approaches to sustainable urban development, this development can be more balanced proccess. The various dimensions of the city in the growth and development proccess can be coordinated and integrated. The purpose of this study is to present a structural-interpretive model based on the ecological city approach.
Materials and Methods: Interpretive-structural modeling is an effective and efficient method for topics in which different qualitative variables have interact affects. This method can be use to discover the relationships and dependencies between qualitative variables, analyze them, and draw. Numerous methods such as the Delphi, nominal group method, focus groups, and brainstorming, are formal methods for generating ideas and reaching consensus among experts. This research has been done in two steps: The first is the Delphi technique, which was carried out to identify the indigenous components of the ecological city in Bojnourd. We first discussed with the panel of experts about the general issues of Bojnourd city, the contexts, and obstacles to the realization of the ecological city approach. As a result, 16 components were obtained in five main categories. The second step is the process of structural-interpretive modeling to implement this technique, the internal relations of the factors were identified, and finally, their leveling was done.
Findings and Discussion: A list of components mentioned by experts during the Delphi interview was compiled, and according to their context, they included 16 components in five environmental, economic, managerial, social, and physical contexts. After determining the relationships and levels of variables in the structural-interpretive model, the components are located at four levels. Components at the upper levels of the model are less effective, and as you approach the lower levels, the effectiveness of the components increases. The lowest level of this model is the "citizenship culture and lifestyle" component. Accordingly, the model of achieving an ecological city in Bojnourd is a four-level model whose foundation begins with the culture and lifestyle of citizens, and in planning towards this goal, this component should be the focus.
Conclusion: The relationship between the city and the environment has hidden layers in the political, socioeconomic, and even cultural contexts. Following the emergence of environmental issues in cities, the ecological attitude towards cities has expanded, in which natural capital must be preserved in a way that does not face unfavorable conditions and environmental degradation. The study aimed to identify the effective components of the realization of the ecological city in Bojnourd to achieve sustainable urban development, using new methods in the field of qualitative research using the Delphi interview and structural-interpretive model (ISM). According to this model, the components were classified into four levels, and component 12, i.e. "citizenship culture and lifestyle", has the most impact at the lowest level of this model. Finally, according to the analysis of penetration power and the degree of dependence in the form of MICMAC analysis, the components were located in districts two and three. The job opportunities tailored to indigenous cultural and biological contexts component is the only component of district 2, with high impact and low penetration power. The other components are located in area three, and any changes in these components will affect the other components and the feasibility system of the ecological city.