Role of perceived ecological quality in a scale for measuring attitude toward earthen building techniques; some findings from a survey on compressed stabilized earth blocks in Auroville, India

This study employed exploratory factor analysis (EFA) to assess how perceived ecological quality influences attitudes toward earthen building techniques (EBTs). The aim was to validate scales for measuring attitudes toward compressed stabilized earth blocks (CSEB) and fired bricks in homes. The experimental attitude scales consist of 12 themes, with only 6 themes being selected for measuring attitudes toward CSEBs. Data was collected from Auroville, a city in southern India known for CSEB buildings. Mean values on a 1 to 7 scale showed that CSEB (M = 5.15) and CSEB homes (M = 5.33) were perceived as more ecological (p