Journal of Iranian Architecture & Urbanism(JIAU)

Abstract Extended Abstract Background and Objectives: Water shortage is one of the basic problems of today’s world and it has various consequences in the supply of suitable water for living organisms and related environmental crises. Due to the lack of proper use of water resources by humans and due to changes in weather conditions, if this amount of water consumption continues for a long time, it can lead to the destruction of entire habitats. Although educational spaces have a smaller share in the city per capita, but paying attention to the approach of sustainable architecture in schools has a special place. The present study was conducted with the aim of identifying the components affecting the water efficiency index in the sustainability assessment system (LEED), studying how and the mesasure of the impact of each component and achieving a model for the water efficiency index in a semi-arid climate. In the “water efficiency” index, Lead investigated the components of:1- reduction of drinking water consumption in the site, 2- use of innovative technologies in the wastewater sector, 3- reduction of water consumption inside the building and 4- water consumption reduction process, and for compliance with each The item assigns a point. In total, 11 points from 110 total points in Leed belong to the “water use productivity” index components. The purpose of the “reduction of potable water consumption in the site component” is to limit or eliminate the use of potable water or other natural surface or underground water sources available on the site or around the project site for irrigation of the site. The reduction of drinking water consumption in the site is investigated in 2 options: option 1: 50% reduction in Potable water consumption for irrigation (2 points). option 2: Non-use or very little use of potable water in irrigation (4 points). The objective of the component “use of innovative technologies in the wastewater sector” is to reduce the production of wastewater and reduce the use of potable water while increasing the local aquifer reserve. Although the title of this component shows that it is related to sewage, in fact, the issues raised in it are somewhat broader and it addresses two solutions: option 1: The drinking water used to be transferred to the sewage system should be reduced by at least 50% using saving equipment in drinking water or non-potable water. option 2: At least 50% of the (used) water is purified on site according to the standards and then used on the site or purified to infiltrate the underground aquifers again. The purpose of “reducing water consumption in buildings” is to increase water use efficiency inside buildings in order to reduce the burden on urban water supply and sewage systems. 30% reduction in the use of potable water in the building leads to obtaining 2 points. A reduction of up to 35% brings an additional point, and a 40% reduction in potable water consumption is the final point. And The purpose of “water consumption reduction process” is to maximize water use efficiency inside buildings to reduce the load on urban water supply and sewage systems.
Methods: The theoretical basis of this research is using library documents and the research method is conducted through case study. In the research carried out, 160 schools worldwide from the BSK climate (semi-arid climate) according to the climate classification of the coupon and from the countries of America, Mexico, Spain, Turkey and China and from the four levels of Leed certification (platinum, gold, silver and certified) were selected based on the 2009 version of Leed. Then their information was collected and the points received in their Leed checklist were entered into SPSS 22 software for analysis with factor analysis method. Due to the fact that the current research has several subjects, therefore, the COMPUTE VARIABLE command was used to define a new variable and categorize the data based on it. Then, with the entry of information related to new variables, in AMOS software, these variables were converted into a model so that with its help we can obtain the relationship of the variables in the “water use productivity” index with each other. Also, with the help of the relationships obtained from this model, the importance and weight of each component in the indicators was determined, and this information helps us to analyze the data and find the results in the continuation of the research process.
Findings: The findings show that the three variables of using innovative water and wastewater technologies, reducing the consumption of drinking water in schools and increasing the efficiency of irrigation in the school grounds are effective in the water efficiency index. Also, the variable of using innovative water and sewage technologies is the most effective variable to increase water efficiency, respectively, has 71 and 54% of the impact is on reducing drinking water and irrigation systems consumption in schools. The purpose of using innovative technologies in the wastewater sector is to “reduce wastewater production and reduce drinking water demand while increasing local aquifer storage.” To reduce the production of wastewater and reduce the transfer of drinking water used to the wastewater, there are various strategies that can be used to reduce the production of sewage and consumption of drinking water. The most important strategies used in the study and review of these 160 schools are: 1- sewage treatment 2- using filtration systems 3- using solutions to reduce runoff 4- storm water management and 5- using water saving equipment. In the meantime, the solution to using water saving equipment has the most impact.
Conclusion: According to research, replacing low-consumption flash tanks with normal flash tanks has led to a 15% reduction in water consumption, and the gray water can be reused with a simple treatment for landscape and vegetation irrigation, flash tanks, and uses that do not require drinking water and by using alternative water sources such as absorbing well water, treated sewage and rain water, water needs can be met. Therefore, the use of water saving devices (such as washrooms, ambulatory washroom) or non-potable water (such as collected rainwater, recycled gray water, and on-site treated wastewater) decreases transfer drinking water consumption to the building’s wastewater. According to the results obtained from the present research, in the next step, it is possible to localize the methods of increasing “water productivity” by examining the laws, guidelines, regulations and design criteria in Iran.

Abstract Extended Abstract
Background and Objectives: The problem of stress is one of the most significant research subjects in this century. Schools play an essential role in shaping the quality of life and enhancing the mental well-being of teenagers. The school environment is a crucial aspect of adolescents’ quality of life, particularly in relation to their health. Research indicates that adolescents who share a positive bond with their school environment (even if their familial relationships are less favorable) tend to experience lower rates of behavioral and psychological disorders, including stress. Psychologists consider the architecture and physical layout of a school as dynamic elements that significantly impact the quality of educational experiences for students. Furthermore, the middle school years coincide with a period of growth-related challenges, characterized by heightened stress levels and increased susceptibility to psychological, social, and biological pressures, along with a reduced capacity to cope with these challenges. Therefore, investigating and identifying students’ stress in this course is of particular importance. The primary objective of the current research is to improve the quality of educational spaces (secondary schools corresponding to high school education in the previous educational system), by identifying physical and environmental variables effective in reducing students’ stress. Therefore, the main question of this research is what are the physical and environmental factors that reduce the students’ stress in educational spaces? The target group in this research is the female students aged between 15-17 years. 
Methods: A hybrid research method (qualitative-quantitative) was used due to the exploratory nature of the research topic. Three steps were followed in the research process. The first step is to the bibliographic review; the second step is to select the top concepts; and the third step is to use the Delphi method. The purpose of the first step is to collect the list of criteria and concepts related to stress, and lack of student adaptability to the environment, which can affect the educational spaces. Related internet searches that focused on qualitative research were utilized (descriptive-analytical and logical reasoning) to achieve this goal. It was important to select and categorize the criteria and concepts collected from the literature review in the second step. The content analysis method was used in this stage. The aim of this research is to categorize the physical concepts and criteria found in the literature based on their importance. However, as the investigation of the topic’s background revealed a lack of such categorization, the Delphi method was employed to gather expert opinions. To ensure an adequate level of precision, the Delphi process was conducted through three successive rounds. In the first round, an open-ended interview was conducted with experts. In the second round, open coding was done with the answers. In the third round, surveys and continuums were formed through axial coding of both ends of the spectrum of components, and a special title was considered for each continuum. After that, the results were converted into a questionnaire through the content objective table and completed in two stages.
Findings: Based on the experts’ questionnaire results, the Q factor was analyzed. This approach relies on categorizing individuals based on their interrelationships rather than focusing on variables. In fact, each factor includes a set of experts who have common thoughts on the subject. The data variance suggests that among the nineteen individuals surveyed, six distinct factors can be discerned. The combined cumulative percentage for these six factors stands at 76.8%, signifying that approximately 76% of the participants shared common perspectives, while the remaining 24% held individual viewpoints. This divergence in opinions could be attributed to personal awareness, inclinations, and individual preferences. It implies that there exists an external reality that managed to resonate with 76% of the experts’ minds, influencing the formation of shared ideas.
Conclusion: The research results indicate that students’ stress can increase or decrease under the influence of the environment. The qualities of the environment can influence whether an individual adapts to it or not. Experts consider the shaping of the classroom space, the existence of places for group sitting and rest, the existence of places for conversation, and the existence of places for doing group work in the social dimension category. The experts also consider security (type and materials of stairs, etc.), the flexibility of spatial layouts, solitude, territory, suitable perspective, depth, level of visibility, control over climate, level of light, having a view from inside the classroom to the corridor, openness, and the space around the building in the environmental security category. Furthermore, they consider adequate space, having a view from the classroom to the green space, the amount of vegetation in the educational space, the brightness of all spaces, the shape and form of the classroom, the health status of the school, the complexity and non-mystery of the space, the appropriate density of spatial patterns, the proper orientation, privacy, and color in the physical comfort category. The experts also classified sound pollution (noise), crowding, temperature (heat and cold), ventilation, humidity, unpleasant smells, and light in the environmental comfort category. They recognized clarity and comprehensibility of forms, elements, parts and components of the building, predictability of the environment, no sudden change in size, color and texture, type of floor coverings, and use of appropriate and suitable signs in the architectural category. Finally, the experts categorized the feeling of being comfortable, like being at home, having a sense of belonging to the space, crowding in the educational space, creating a sense of solitude and territory, and having a sense of place as the psychological dimension of the environment.

Abstract