Evaluating Human Settlement Quality: A Novel Approach for Recognizing Feature Importance Based on RBFNN-GARSON

The urban living environment is a crucial determinant of the well-being and survival of city residents in modern society. Accurately evaluating the Quality of Human Settlements (QHS) and identifying its influencing factors are essential for advancing sustainable urban development. This study develops an assessment system for the Quality of Human Settlements Index (QHSI) by integrating three dimensions and 29 sub-indicators. The AHP and VIKOR methods are employed to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the QHS while proposing a factor system of QHS-influencing indicators based on four dimensions and 29 sub-indicators. Additionally, a novel hybrid RBFNN and GARSON method is introduced to identify the importance of QHS-influencing factors. Using Wuhan, China, as a case study, the results reveal that (1) RBFNN-GARSON demonstrates robustness and generalization ability under optimal parameters, effectively revealing the inherent relationships between QHS-influencing indicators and evaluation indicators; and (2) the overall QHSI for Wuhan City is 0.724, with the importance of cultural facilities, historic district preservation, and street cleanliness identified as 0.060, 0.057, and 0.056, respectively, denoting them as the most critical factors influencing the QHS. This method is expected to provide city managers with a deeper understanding of the QHS, enabling them to formulate policies more efficiently, ultimately promoting social progress and enhancing residents’ sense of achievement and happiness. This study contributes to the advancement of sustainable urban development and residents’ well-being.