Simplifying morphological indicators: Linking building morphology and microclimate effects through exploratory factor analysis

Building morphological indicators are widely used for microclimate regulation, but their complexity often hinders practical understanding and application. This study aims to simplify multiple morphological indicators into a smaller set of factors, and demonstrates that the simplified factors still account for microclimate effects. The study was conducted in Changsha, China. Microclimate and morphological data were collected within buffer zones ranging from 30 to 200 m in radius. Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) was performed on up to 12 morphological indicators, and the resulting factor scores were analyzed through regression with microclimate indicators. The results confirmed that: (1) 6 to 9 morphological indicators can be reduced to 1 to 3 factors, retaining most of the original information. The factor extraction is influenced by both the morphological indicators and the buffer radius. (2) The factors significantly impact air temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, mean radiant temperature, and the Universal Thermal Climate Index, with the extent of influence varying across microclimate indicators and buffer radii. By consolidating the shared characteristics of multiple morphological indicators, this study offers a more concise and integrated approach for describing building morphology, and its essential relationship with the microclimate.