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Updated 2026-09-02

Solar & Daylight Data

Daylight & Orientation: Limuru, Kenya

How to research daylight & orientation for a specific site in Limuru — the controlling authority, source documents, and checks to run before you rely on a number.

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Last updated September 2, 2026 · Location data from the [GeoNames KE dump](https://download.geonames.org/export/dump/KE.zip) (CC BY 4.0, snapshot 2026-08-31, GeoNames ID 189386). Regulatory starting point: [National Construction Authority and the applicable county government](https://www.nca.go.ke/). Figures are illustrative — verify against the current locally adopted edition for the site. Solar-method context: [NOAA Solar Calculation Details](https://gml.noaa.gov/grad/solcalc/calcdetails.html); the Harth monthly table uses a simpler declination and geometric-daylight approximation whose stated limitations must be retained. Project-date refinement reference: [NREL Solar Position Algorithm](https://midcdmz.nrel.gov/spa/).

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Direct answer

For Limuru at -1.1136, 36.6420, the declination-only solar-noon altitude is approximately 65.5° at the June solstice, 88.9° at an equinox and 67.7° at the December solstice. Refine these geometry checks with the project date, civil time, facade azimuth, terrain and local horizon. The reproducible location record is GeoNames ID 189386 in administrative area 22, at -1.1136, 36.6420; replace it with the surveyed parcel point before relying on the result. As a transparent geometry check, declination-only solar-noon altitude is about 65.5° at the June solstice, 88.9° at an equinox and 67.7° at the December solstice. Representative 21st-day geometry ranges from about 11.9 hours in June to 12.1 hours in December; this excludes atmospheric refraction, terrain and obstruction effects. The cited national authority is a discovery starting point; current local documents and a named qualified reviewer control project use of this daylight and building orientation record.

Content and cited inputs reviewed by Scott Barrington, Harth founder and architectural technology specialist · Published 2026-08-26 · Updated 2026-09-02.

What must be verified for Limuru?

Limuru is represented here at approximately -1.1136, 36.6420 for discovery and workflow planning. A project address, parcel, elevation, exposure, authority, and submission date must replace that city-centre reference before design use.

How should daylight and building orientation be established?

  1. Fix the surveyed site and local time basis.
  2. Select an authoritative weather source or a named solar-position algorithm.
  3. Record period, percentile or scenario and units.
  4. Test sensitivity to elevation, exposure, urban form and horizon.
  5. Save the source file, retrieval date and checker in the model record.
InputProject-specific evidenceQA question
Sitesurveyed coordinates, elevation and horizonDoes the point represent the building?
Weather/solar methodnamed dataset, algorithm, period and time basisAre station, time zone and units explicit?
Design scenariocurrent and future scenario agreed by the teamIs an average being mistaken for an extreme?
Complianceadopted local document and editionWas applicability confirmed with the authority?

What are the limits of this worksheet?

This daylight-workflow page is a project-starting worksheet, not a design value or approval. The controlling authority and qualified professionals for the Limuru site remain authoritative.

Limuru monthly solar geometry check for daylight & orientation

Representative dateDeclinationSolar-noon altitudeGeometric daylightNoon shadow / height
21 January-20.14°70.98°12.054 h0.345
21 February-11.23°79.89°12.029 h0.178
21 March-0.40°89.29°12.001 h0.012
21 April+11.58°77.31°11.970 h0.225
21 May+20.14°68.75°11.946 h0.389
21 June+23.45°65.44°11.936 h0.457
21 July+20.44°68.44°11.945 h0.395
21 August+11.75°77.13°11.969 h0.228
21 September-0.20°89.09°12.001 h0.016
21 October-11.75°79.36°12.031 h0.188
21 November-20.44°70.67°12.055 h0.351
21 December-23.45°67.66°12.064 h0.411

Limuru solar-geometry fingerprint at -1.1136, 36.6420

  • Limuru, 21 January: declination -20.14°, noon altitude 70.98°, zenith 19.02°, geometric daylight 12.054 hours, and vertical-object noon shadow ratio 0.345.
  • Limuru, 21 February: declination -11.23°, noon altitude 79.89°, zenith 10.11°, geometric daylight 12.029 hours, and vertical-object noon shadow ratio 0.178.
  • Limuru, 21 March: declination -0.40°, noon altitude 89.29°, zenith 0.71°, geometric daylight 12.001 hours, and vertical-object noon shadow ratio 0.012.
  • Limuru, 21 April: declination +11.58°, noon altitude 77.31°, zenith 12.69°, geometric daylight 11.970 hours, and vertical-object noon shadow ratio 0.225.
  • Limuru, 21 May: declination +20.14°, noon altitude 68.75°, zenith 21.25°, geometric daylight 11.946 hours, and vertical-object noon shadow ratio 0.389.
  • Limuru, 21 June: declination +23.45°, noon altitude 65.44°, zenith 24.56°, geometric daylight 11.936 hours, and vertical-object noon shadow ratio 0.457.
  • Limuru, 21 July: declination +20.44°, noon altitude 68.44°, zenith 21.56°, geometric daylight 11.945 hours, and vertical-object noon shadow ratio 0.395.
  • Limuru, 21 August: declination +11.75°, noon altitude 77.13°, zenith 12.87°, geometric daylight 11.969 hours, and vertical-object noon shadow ratio 0.228.
  • Limuru, 21 September: declination -0.20°, noon altitude 89.09°, zenith 0.91°, geometric daylight 12.001 hours, and vertical-object noon shadow ratio 0.016.
  • Limuru, 21 October: declination -11.75°, noon altitude 79.36°, zenith 10.64°, geometric daylight 12.031 hours, and vertical-object noon shadow ratio 0.188.
  • Limuru, 21 November: declination -20.44°, noon altitude 70.67°, zenith 19.33°, geometric daylight 12.055 hours, and vertical-object noon shadow ratio 0.351.
  • Limuru, 21 December: declination -23.45°, noon altitude 67.66°, zenith 22.34°, geometric daylight 12.064 hours, and vertical-object noon shadow ratio 0.411.

Harth computed the Limuru fingerprint for latitude -1.1136° with the Cooper declination approximation, 90° - |latitude - declination| at solar noon, centre-to-centre sunrise hour angle and 1 / tan(altitude) shadow ratio. Longitude 36.6420° is retained for a later civil-time conversion; this screen does not perform that conversion. See NOAA's solar calculation details. Atmospheric refraction, terrain, facade azimuth and obstructions remain outside this first-pass comparison.

Where can you explore related guidance?

Sources and method

Location data from the GeoNames KE dump (CC BY 4.0, snapshot 2026-08-31, GeoNames ID 189386). Regulatory starting point: National Construction Authority and the applicable county government. Figures are illustrative — verify against the current locally adopted edition for the site. Solar-method context: NOAA Solar Calculation Details; the Harth monthly table uses a simpler declination and geometric-daylight approximation whose stated limitations must be retained. Project-date refinement reference: NREL Solar Position Algorithm.

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Frequently asked questions

What does the daylight and building orientation record for Limuru establish?

The daylight and building orientation record for Limuru establishes a reproducible discovery point at -1.1136, 36.6420 (GeoNames ID 189386, administrative area 22) and a Kenya source path. It does not establish a final project value, approval or parcel decision.

What must be replaced before using this daylight and building orientation workflow for a project in Limuru?

For the daylight and building orientation record in Limuru, replace the -1.1136, 36.6420 city reference with the surveyed site or parcel, identify the competent local authority, and verify the current documents under National Building Code and county development-control requirements. Record the edition, retrieval date, units, assumptions and named checker before relying on the result.

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