Evaluation of psychological factors affecting the decision of citizens to purchase renovated buildings with emphasis on maintaining urban environment

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: During the past decades, architects have faced serious challenges in renovating buildings. Renovated buildings require activities that, besides energy savings and less damages to the environment, could have psychologically positive effects on customers. Renovation plays an important role in the development of the city of Tehran so that it can bring environmental, economic and social benefits and preserve the originality of the urban environment of this metropolis. Therefore, the purpose of this study was Evaluation of psychological factors affecting the decision of citizens to purchase renovated buildings with emphasis on maintaining urban environment.METHODS: The present study used a mixed approach to achieve a general model to investigate the effects of such factors on customers’ decision to buy renovated buildings. To validate the model, the qualitative approach was based on the Grounded Theory, and the quantitative approach used Structural Equation Modeling. In the qualitative analysis to identify the influential factors, the interview data were analyzed with ATLAS.Ti8 software version 8.0 by using the Grounded Theory coding method according to Strauss and Corbin’s approach. Finally, the effects of psychological factors on the consumer decision to buy renovated buildings were identified.FINDINGS: Perception index with two components of personality (factor loading 0.60) and experience (factor loading 0.69), learning index with two components of capacity change and behavior change with factor loading 0.56, attitude index with two components of self-esteem (0. 70) and excitement (0.76) and in the motivation index of the external motivation component (0.58) were confirmed in the final model. The indicators of needs and desires (0.31), change of status (0.42), identity (0. 32) and intrinsic motivation (0.49) were rejected and removed from the final model.CONCLUSION: The findings showed that in order to maintain the authenticity of the urban environment as well as the satisfaction of citizens, the managers of architectural companies and senior officials of urban planning can use the investigated methods to make better decisions and encourage citizens to buy renovated buildings.