http://erepository.uonbi.ac.ke/handle/11295/97975 2026-05-18T20:58:03Z http://erepository.uonbi.ac.ke/handle/11295/98084 A Roof - Integrated Solar Water Heater University of Nairobi The project as described below is a follow-up of a Ministry of Health undertaking with regard to a pre-fabricated roof structure for semi-selfhelp health posts in the remote regions of Kenya(*) . The basic idea is to provide a pre-fabricated roof structure, under which floor slab, external and internal walls can be errected by means of self-help efforts. Thus it is hoped that the roof, one of the most problematic structural elements of a building as far as self-help projects are concerned, is provided according to a satisfactory standard, preventing serious disappointments as experienced in the past. Since the running of a health post requires basic services such as hot water for instance, but the means of providing it are generally restricted and expensive too, it was thought that a solar water heating system would be more economical than anything else, in particular since "remote regions" mostly are blessed with a high amount of daily sunshine all over the year. Instal1ation Due to the standard design of the proposed roof structure, the idea has been developed to integrate the water heating system into the structure as part of the G.C.I.roof cover - see Fig.l The foto in front shows the actual test installation at the University of Nairobi, Department of Architecture, FADD-Building State House Road. The installation provides a collector with an overall area of 1.95m2 - its projection amounts to 1.8m2 ~ and a volume of 20 liters, out of which 4.5 liters count for the pipe system, and 15.5 liters for the storage tank. It works according to the thermosyphone system. Out of budget reasons, free available PVC-pipes have been used in spite of their poor thermal properties. Thus the actual expenditures could be kept low. 1981-01-01T00:00:00Z http://erepository.uonbi.ac.ke/handle/11295/98011 Decision-making Criteria for Investing in Commercial Real Estate in Kenya Murigu, Jennifer Commercial real estate inresullems in the Ke".I"lI'scapital city-Nairobi reveal the jo/lolring: A shrinking occupation demand; Disparities between expected and actual incomes; D!lJiculties in meeting debt serricing obligations and d!lJiculties in completing const.ruaion projects within the specified cost and timejrames.ln spite <1these problems, neu; IeIlBeand re,:." expensire buildings continue CO mushroom in the ci~l".Therefore, there appears CO be unexplained reasons that compel investors co continue inresting in commercial real eswte. It is against this background that research \Vasundertaken CO esuiblisb the basis <1decision-making wliile inresting in these properties. The research lI'as based on W'O main object ires, name~I'; to idem!fj' and rank theJvctors that irifluence the decision to inrest in commercial real escote and propose steps to bejolloll'ed ~I' inrestors in the decision to inl'est in these properties in order co, amongst other goals, minimise disparities between the expected and actual rer urns, A random sample <1commercial buildings in the ci~I' lI'as st.udied and it 11'05 esuibltsbed that, expected income II'(lS the most important jactor irifluencing the decision to inrest in commercial real estaie Iollowed ~I' expected returnsJrom the illl·estment. While it lI'a5 observed that the commercial real estate rnrestor in Ker~1"lIisjair~1' rational and economicallv led, a lack <1s}'Stemat ic and formal decision making rules and procedures l\'a5 noted. The study's main proposal is that the decision to illl'est in commercial real estate ought to be undertaken in a srstemacic manner. EjJectire decision making tarelv occurs ~I' chance but involves a logical, sequential and ordered approach. The researcher is also the opinion that a standard school <1appraisal should be developed and introduced in Kenya. Continuous pr<ifessional development: programmes should also be instituted. 2009-01-01T00:00:00Z http://erepository.uonbi.ac.ke/handle/11295/98008 The influence of urban public space patterns on degradation of external envelop of urban blocks: the case of Nairobi Central Business District Moirongo, Bernard Otoki A view through Central Business Districts (CBD) of most Kenyan cities show that some buildings have either been abandoned or been left unattended thus, enhancing dereliction and decay of the built environment. Since it is not whole city centres that are decaying, it is likelys that the spatial structure and hence the urban space patterns would be having something to do with social, economic and the environmental survival of these capital assets. This paper has empirically established that 33 urban space variables out of 436 variables significantly relate with dereliction and decay of built environment in the Central Business District of the city of Nairobi. This has been done by regressing indexes relating to abandonment, faqade construction, completeness and exterior maintenance and cleanliness of buildings bounding urban space against urban space variables: spatial, social, cultural and economic. These established variables have been grouped into the following urban pattems: constitutedness of space, segregation or integration of space, distributedness of space, grain, land use, and density. The paper argues that most of these patterns have a lot to do with the presence and distribution of human in the settlements. The paper concludes that humanisation of settlements is very important in curbing the decay of built environment. 2006-01-01T00:00:00Z http://erepository.uonbi.ac.ke/handle/11295/97998 Rahani: A Unique Commercial Land Tenure Arrangement Amongst the Digo of Kenya's Coast Swazuri, Muhammad A. Land ownership, distribution, utilisation and exchange amongst the Oigo people of Kenya's lower Coast is done through both formal systems and informal arrangements. 'Rahani'is an informal arrangement that allows landowners to rent out their excess or idle land at a price over an uncertain duration. Using data from several classes of respondents, this paper found that landowners practice 'rahani'to get quick money to attend to immediate domestic, personal and welfare problems. The negative impacts of 'rahani' include the possibility of loss and misuse of the rented land. To the loanees, their benefits include a chance to reap from land without having to get title for it, as long as the owner is unable to refund the loan amount. Although the practice is still going on, it is now under threat from formal systems, increased demand for all classes of land and the individualization of land tenure. The concept remains informal and unclear to many, and has no place even in the proposed National Land Policy 2008-01-01T00:00:00Z