Couple simulation-based quantitative analysis of the impact of spatial form on building energy consumption in high-rise residential clusters: a case study in China’s HSCW region

Residential buildings are a major contributor to urban energy consumption, and their spatial morphology significantly affects energy performance. Although many Urban Building Energy Modelling (UBEM) studies include microclimate effects, the quantitative influence of spatial parameter on high-rise residential clusters remains underexplored. This study establishes a coupled ‘spatial morphology–microclimate–energy consumption’ framework by integrating Rhino & Grasshopper for geometric modelling, UWG (Urban Weather Generator) for microclimate simulation, and EnergyPlus for energy analysis. The framework systematically quantifies how spatial parameters affect building energy use and proposes corresponding optimization strategies. Results show that neglecting microclimate effects leads to 3.51% and 2.57% deviations in cooling and heating loads, respectively. Among six equally dense layouts, the staggered layout performs best, reducing cooling energy by 5.85% and total energy by 3.6% compared with the courtyard layout. Optimal performance occurs when the building spacing is 1.6–1.8 times the minimum required distance and the orientation is 5° west of south. This work deepens understanding of the morphology–energy relationship and supports energy-efficient planning of high-rise residential clusters in hot summer and cold winter (HSCW) regions of China.