Understanding the structural relationship between the built environment of new rural areas and community sustainability evaluation

As China’s New Rural Movement progresses, peri-urban villages in the Pearl River Delta, particularly in Guangzhou, have integrated rural supply and marketing cooperatives, establishing village-level community service centers. These centers are vital for public services and community activities, playing a key role in the region’s development. However, existing sustainability assessment tools are too complex and unclear for widespread use in rural China. This study aims to develop a more streamlined and applicable evaluation method based on shared characteristics of rural communities. Using structural equation modeling, the research examines four main factors in the built environment of these centers: spatial environmental quality, cultural perceptions, spatial efficiency, and spatial usage. Findings show that spatial usage has a direct and significant impact on community sustainability. The evaluation indicators of the built environment also correlate with sustainability outcomes in environmental, economic, social, and institutional dimensions. The study concludes that the built environment of these centers is a strong indicator of overall community sustainability. Beyond New Rural Construction areas, both the findings and methodological approach demonstrate generalizability to resource-constrained rural regions and areas experiencing rapid urbanization.