Analysis of the Effects of Social and Economic Factors on Energy Consumption, with Emphasis on Family Travel Patterns (Case Study: Malek-Shahr and Amir-Arab Neighborhoods in Isfahan)

The high consumption of non-renewable energy and fossil fuel pollution has been a significant issue in recent decades. The transportation sector, which is affected by travel patterns, has a substantial stake in energy use; these patterns depend on various factors, including social and economic factors. The purpose of this paper is to examine the effects of social and economic factors on energy consumption, with an emphasis on family travel patterns; for this purpose, the Malek-Shahr and Amir-Arab neighborhoods in Isfahan, Iran, were selected as the research cases. A mixed-paradigm methodology was used. The required information to examine the measures and the related factors was obtained by documentation and field study; the classified random sampling method was used to complete the questionnaires. In addition, the Mann-Whitney U test was used to examine the significant differences between the neighborhoods considering social, economic, and travel pattern variables. Also, factor analysis and regression were applied to carry out path analysis and explain how the factors and variables were related. The results indicate that the Malek-Shahr neighborhood has a significantly better social and economic status and more arbitrary travel patterns than the Amir-Arab neighborhood. It was also found that there was no significant relationship between the social factor and the travel patterns in both neighborhoods. The economic factor played a major role in this respect; this was more pronounced in the Amir-Arab neighborhood afflicted by a lower economic status.