Analysis of the Influence of Sky View Factor on the Thermal Environment of Coastal Settlements in Gorontalo City based on IoT Measurements

Tropical coastal urban areas are highly vulnerable to climate-induced stress, and thus, a process-based understanding of how the urban morphology regulates microclimate and thermal comfort is required. This paper assesses the impact of SVF on the thermal environment at a coastal settlement in Gorontalo City, Indonesia, by using IoT-integrated measurements and residents’ thermal perception data. Measurements were made at six paired field sites along a Coastal Foothill Transect (T0-T5), using IoT-based monitoring of temperature, humidity, and wind speed, combined with hemispherical photography and savannah view factor estimation from Google Street View. Statistical methods such as ANOVA, multivariate regression, and robust regression were used to correlate objective thermal indices (Ta, PMV, PET) with subjective responses (TSV, Acceptability). The results indicate that low SVF is associated with higher temperature (+2-6 °C), elevated heat perception (TSV +1,7-2,1), and reduced acceptability (≥ 0.76). The mulivariate model (R2adj = 0.84) confirms that SVF primarily influences thermal comfort through airflow regulation rather than direct temperature control. These findings provide rare field-based evidence from a humid tropical coastal control context and highlight SVF as a critical morphological parameter for climate-responsive urban design.