Investigating the Influence of Urban Morphology on Seasonal Thermal Environment Based on Urban Functional Zones

Meiling Zeng, Chunxia Liu, Yuechen Li (), Bo He, Rongxiang Wang, Zihua Qian, Fang Wang, Qiao Huang, Peng Li, Bingrong Leng and Yunjing Huang
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Meiling Zeng: Chongqing Engineering Research Center for Remote Sensing Big Data Application, Chongqing Jinfo Mountain National Field Scientific Observation and Research Station for Karst Ecosystem, School of Geographical Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
Chunxia Liu: Chongqing Key Laboratory of GIS Application, School of Geography and Tourism, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing 401331, China
Yuechen Li: Chongqing Engineering Research Center for Remote Sensing Big Data Application, Chongqing Jinfo Mountain National Field Scientific Observation and Research Station for Karst Ecosystem, School of Geographical Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
Bo He: Chongqing Planning & Design Institute, Chongqing 401147, China
Rongxiang Wang: Chongqing Planning & Design Institute, Chongqing 401147, China
Zihua Qian: Chongqing Planning & Design Institute, Chongqing 401147, China
Fang Wang: Chongqing Planning & Design Institute, Chongqing 401147, China
Qiao Huang: Chongqing Planning & Design Institute, Chongqing 401147, China
Peng Li: Chongqing Planning & Design Institute, Chongqing 401147, China
Bingrong Leng: Chongqing Planning & Design Institute, Chongqing 401147, China
Yunjing Huang: Chongqing Planning & Design Institute, Chongqing 401147, China

Land, 2025, vol. 14, issue 11, 1-27

Abstract: With the rapid advancement of urbanization, urban heat environment issues have become increasingly severe, presenting significant challenges to sustainable urban development. Although previous research has demonstrated the substantial impact of urban morphology on land surface temperature (LST), there is still a lack of comprehensive research on the non-stationary effects of urban morphology on seasonal LST at the block scale. Therefore, this study establishes a comprehensive research framework, utilizing urban functional zones in the core area of Chongqing as the primary research unit, to investigate the seasonal fluctuations in the spatial distribution of LST across various functional zones. Combining Random Forest (RF) with multiscale geographically weighted regression methods (MGWR), the study systematically analyzes the numerical and spatial distribution characteristics of how urban morphology factors influence LST from global and local perspectives. The results indicate that (1) the LST in central Chongqing exhibits marked seasonal variation and a distinct “mountain-water pattern,” with industrial zones consistently hotter and public service areas cooler; (2) biophysical surface parameters and building morphological indicators make a high relative contribution to LST changes across seasons, particularly in public service and commercial areas; (3) building density (BD) and biophysical surface parameters primarily exert local impacts on LST changes, while floor area ratio (FAR) and building height range (RBH) have a global effect. These findings provide new insights into the driving mechanisms of urban heat environments and offer scientific evidence for regulating and mitigating urban heat environment issues across different seasons and urban types.

Keywords: urban morphology; urban functional zones; land surface temperature; random forest; multiscale geographically weighted regression (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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