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Solar & Daylight Data

Updated 2026-09-02

Daylight & Orientation: Nairobi, Kenya

How to research daylight & orientation for a specific site in Nairobi — 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 184745). 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/).

Direct answer

For Nairobi at -1.2833, 36.8167, the declination-only solar-noon altitude is approximately 65.3° at the June solstice, 88.7° at an equinox and 67.8° 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 184745 in administrative area 05, at -1.2833, 36.8167; replace it with the surveyed parcel point before relying on the result. As a transparent geometry check, declination-only solar-noon altitude is about 65.3° at the June solstice, 88.7° at an equinox and 67.8° 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.

Prepared by Harth · Topic-specific calculated asset and fresh SERP brief passed editorial screening; page remains noindex pending the independent content, evidence, similarity and link gates · Published 2026-08-26 · Updated 2026-09-02.

What must be verified for Nairobi?

Nairobi is represented here at approximately -1.2833, 36.8167 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 Nairobi site remain authoritative.

Nairobi monthly daylight-orientation ledger

Representative dateGeometric daylightSolar sunriseSolar sunsetSunrise hour angleNoon bearingChange from prior month
21 January12.063 h05.9718.0390.47°180.0°-0.011 h
21 February12.034 h05.9818.0290.25°180.0°-0.029 h
21 March12.001 h06.0018.0090.01°0.0°-0.033 h
21 April11.965 h06.0217.9889.74°0.0°-0.036 h
21 May11.937 h06.0317.9789.53°0.0°-0.028 h
21 June11.926 h06.0417.9689.44°0.0°-0.011 h
21 July11.936 h06.0317.9789.52°0.0°+0.010 h
21 August11.964 h06.0217.9889.73°0.0°+0.028 h
21 September12.001 h06.0018.0090.00°0.0°+0.036 h
21 October12.036 h05.9818.0290.27°180.0°+0.035 h
21 November12.064 h05.9718.0390.48°180.0°+0.028 h
21 December12.074 h05.9618.0490.56°180.0°+0.010 h

Orientation checks prompted by the Nairobi ledger

The representative daylight span runs from 11.926 hours on 21 June to 12.074 hours on 21 December. Solar sunrise and sunset are expressed in apparent solar time, not a time-zone clock. The noon-bearing column is a true-north azimuth screen and becomes unstable when the sun passes close to zenith.

For Nairobi at -1.2833°, 36.8167°, test each occupied facade against the actual horizon, adjacent buildings, glazing, room depth and target illuminance. This ledger describes geometric availability only; it does not estimate irradiance, daylight autonomy, glare or energy. Refine project-date positions with the NREL SPA.

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 184745). 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.

Source links

Frequently asked questions

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

The daylight and building orientation record for Nairobi establishes a reproducible discovery point at -1.2833, 36.8167 (GeoNames ID 184745, administrative area 05) 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 Nairobi?

For the daylight and building orientation record in Nairobi, replace the -1.2833, 36.8167 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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