Make a building insights request

The buildingInsights endpoint provides insights about the location, dimensions, and solar potential of a building. In particular, you can get information about:

  • Solar potential, including solar panel size, annual amount of sunshine, carbon offset factors, and more
  • Solar panel position, orientation, and energy production
  • Estimated monthly energy bill of optimal solar layout and associated costs and benefits

To learn more about how the Solar API defines solar potential and sunniness, see Solar API Concepts.

The API Explorer lets you make live requests so that you can get familiar with the API and the API options:

Try it!

About building insights requests

To request building insights, send an HTTP GET request to:

https://solar.googleapis.com/v1/buildingInsights:findClosest?key=YOUR_API_KEY

Include your request URL parameters that specify the latitude and longitude coordinates of the location and the minimum required quality level allowed in the results.

Example building insights request

The following example requests building insights information for the location at the coordinates of latitude = 37.4450 and longitude = -122.1390:

API key

To make a request to the URL in the response, append your API key to the URL:

curl -X GET "https://solar.googleapis.com/v1/buildingInsights:findClosest?location.latitude=37.4450&location.longitude=-122.1390&requiredQuality=HIGH&key=YOUR_API_KEY"

You can also make HTTP requests by pasting the URL in the cURL request into your browser's URL bar. Passing the API key provides you with better usage and analytics capabilities and better access control to the response data.

OAuth token

Note: This format is for a testing environment only. For more information, see Use OAuth.

To make a request to the URL in the response, pass in your billing project name and your OAuth token:

curl -H "Authorization: Bearer $(gcloud auth print-access-token)" \
  -H "X-Goog-User-Project: PROJECT_NUMBER_OR_ID" \
  "https://solar.googleapis.com/v1/buildingInsights:findClosest?location.latitude=37.4450&location.longitude=-122.1390"

TypeScript

To make a request to the URL in the response, include either your API key or OAuth token in the request. Here's an example that uses an API key:

/**
 * Fetches the building insights information from the Solar API.
 *   https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/solar/building-insights
 *
 * @param  {LatLng} location      Point of interest as latitude longitude.
 * @param  {string} apiKey        Google Cloud API key.
 * @return {Promise<DataLayersResponse>}  Building Insights response.
 */
export async function findClosestBuilding(
  location: google.maps.LatLng,
  apiKey: string,
): Promise<BuildingInsightsResponse> {
  const args = {
    'location.latitude': location.lat().toFixed(5),
    'location.longitude': location.lng().toFixed(5),
  };
  console.log('GET buildingInsights\n', args);
  const params = new URLSearchParams({ ...args, key: apiKey });
  // https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/solar/reference/rest/v1/buildingInsights/findClosest
  return fetch(`https://solar.googleapis.com/v1/buildingInsights:findClosest?${params}`).then(
    async (response) => {
      const content = await response.json();
      if (response.status != 200) {
        console.error('findClosestBuilding\n', content);
        throw content;
      }
      console.log('buildingInsightsResponse', content);
      return content;
    },
  );
}
solar.ts

Data type definitions

The following data types are supported:

export interface DataLayersResponse {
  imageryDate: Date;
  imageryProcessedDate: Date;
  dsmUrl: string;
  rgbUrl: string;
  maskUrl: string;
  annualFluxUrl: string;
  monthlyFluxUrl: string;
  hourlyShadeUrls: string[];
  imageryQuality: 'HIGH' | 'MEDIUM' | 'LOW';
}

export interface Bounds {
  north: number;
  south: number;
  east: number;
  west: number;
}

// https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/solar/reference/rest/v1/buildingInsights/findClosest
export interface BuildingInsightsResponse {
  name: string;
  center: LatLng;
  boundingBox: LatLngBox;
  imageryDate: Date;
  imageryProcessedDate: Date;
  postalCode: string;
  administrativeArea: string;
  statisticalArea: string;
  regionCode: string;
  solarPotential: SolarPotential;
  imageryQuality: 'HIGH' | 'MEDIUM' | 'LOW';
}

export interface SolarPotential {
  maxArrayPanelsCount: number;
  panelCapacityWatts: number;
  panelHeightMeters: number;
  panelWidthMeters: number;
  panelLifetimeYears: number;
  maxArrayAreaMeters2: number;
  maxSunshineHoursPerYear: number;
  carbonOffsetFactorKgPerMwh: number;
  wholeRoofStats: SizeAndSunshineStats;
  buildingStats: SizeAndSunshineStats;
  roofSegmentStats: RoofSegmentSizeAndSunshineStats[];
  solarPanels: SolarPanel[];
  solarPanelConfigs: SolarPanelConfig[];
  financialAnalyses: object;
}

export interface SizeAndSunshineStats {
  areaMeters2: number;
  sunshineQuantiles: number[];
  groundAreaMeters2: number;
}

export interface RoofSegmentSizeAndSunshineStats {
  pitchDegrees: number;
  azimuthDegrees: number;
  stats: SizeAndSunshineStats;
  center: LatLng;
  boundingBox: LatLngBox;
  planeHeightAtCenterMeters: number;
}

export interface SolarPanel {
  center: LatLng;
  orientation: 'LANDSCAPE' | 'PORTRAIT';
  segmentIndex: number;
  yearlyEnergyDcKwh: number;
}

export interface SolarPanelConfig {
  panelsCount: number;
  yearlyEnergyDcKwh: number;
  roofSegmentSummaries: RoofSegmentSummary[];
}

export interface RoofSegmentSummary {
  pitchDegrees: number;
  azimuthDegrees: number;
  panelsCount: number;
  yearlyEnergyDcKwh: number;
  segmentIndex: number;
}

export interface LatLng {
  latitude: number;
  longitude: number;
}

export interface LatLngBox {
  sw: LatLng;
  ne: LatLng;
}

export interface Date {
  year: number;
  month: number;
  day: number;
}

export interface RequestError {
  error: {
    code: number;
    message: string;
    status: string;
  };
}
solar.ts

Example response object

That request produces a JSON response in the form:

{
  "name": "buildings/ChIJh0CMPQW7j4ARLrRiVvmg6Vs",
  "center": {
    "latitude": 37.4449439,
    "longitude": -122.13914659999998
  },
  "imageryDate": {
    "year": 2022,
    "month": 8,
    "day": 14
  },
  "postalCode": "94303",
  "administrativeArea": "CA",
  "statisticalArea": "06085511100",
  "regionCode": "US",
  "solarPotential": {
    "maxArrayPanelsCount": 1163,
    "maxArrayAreaMeters2": 1903.5983,
    "maxSunshineHoursPerYear": 1802,
    "carbonOffsetFactorKgPerMwh": 428.9201,
    "wholeRoofStats": {
      "areaMeters2": 2399.3958,
      "sunshineQuantiles": [
        351,
        1396,
        1474,
        1527,
        1555,
        1596,
        1621,
        1640,
        1664,
        1759,
        1864
      ],
      "groundAreaMeters2": 2279.71
    },
    "roofSegmentStats": [
      {
        "pitchDegrees": 11.350553,
        "azimuthDegrees": 269.6291,
        "stats": {
          "areaMeters2": 452.00052,
          "sunshineQuantiles": [
            408,
            1475,
            1546,
            1575,
            1595,
            1606,
            1616,
            1626,
            1635,
            1643,
            1761
          ],
          "groundAreaMeters2": 443.16
        },
        "center": {
          "latitude": 37.444972799999995,
          "longitude": -122.13936369999999
        },
        "boundingBox": {
          "sw": {
            "latitude": 37.444732099999996,
            "longitude": -122.1394224
          },
          "ne": {
            "latitude": 37.4451909,
            "longitude": -122.13929279999999
          }
        },
        "planeHeightAtCenterMeters": 10.7835045
      },
    /.../
    ],
    "solarPanelConfigs": [
      {
        "panelsCount": 4,
        "yearlyEnergyDcKwh": 1819.8662,
        "roofSegmentSummaries": [
          {
            "pitchDegrees": 12.273684,
            "azimuthDegrees": 179.12555,
            "panelsCount": 4,
            "yearlyEnergyDcKwh": 1819.8663,
            "segmentIndex": 1
          }
        ]
      },
      /.../
    ]
   "financialAnalyses": [
      {
        "monthlyBill": {
          "currencyCode": "USD",
          "units": "20"
        },
        "panelConfigIndex": -1
      },
      {
        "monthlyBill": {
          "currencyCode": "USD",
          "units": "25"
        },
        "panelConfigIndex": -1
      },
      {
        "monthlyBill": {
          "currencyCode": "USD",
          "units": "30"
        },
        "panelConfigIndex": -1
      },
      {
        "monthlyBill": {
          "currencyCode": "USD",
          "units": "35"
        },
        "panelConfigIndex": 0,
        "financialDetails": {
          "initialAcKwhPerYear": 1546.8864,
          "remainingLifetimeUtilityBill": {
            "currencyCode": "USD",
            "units": "2563"
          },
          "federalIncentive": {
            "currencyCode": "USD",
            "units": "1483"
          },
          "stateIncentive": {
            "currencyCode": "USD"
          },
          "utilityIncentive": {
            "currencyCode": "USD"
          },
          "lifetimeSrecTotal": {
            "currencyCode": "USD"
          },
          "costOfElectricityWithoutSolar": {
            "currencyCode": "USD",
            "units": "10362"
          },
          "netMeteringAllowed": true,
          "solarPercentage": 86.7469,
          "percentageExportedToGrid": 52.136684
        },
        "leasingSavings": {
          "leasesAllowed": true,
          "leasesSupported": true,
          "annualLeasingCost": {
            "currencyCode": "USD",
            "units": "335",
            "nanos": 85540771
          },
          "savings": {
            "savingsYear1": {
              "currencyCode": "USD",
              "units": "-10"
            },
            "savingsYear20": {
              "currencyCode": "USD",
              "units": "1098"
            },
            "presentValueOfSavingsYear20": {
              "currencyCode": "USD",
              "units": "568",
              "nanos": 380859375
            },
            "financiallyViable": true,
            "savingsLifetime": {
              "currencyCode": "USD",
              "units": "1098"
            },
            "presentValueOfSavingsLifetime": {
              "currencyCode": "USD",
              "units": "568",
              "nanos": 380859375
            }
          }
        },
        "cashPurchaseSavings": {
          "outOfPocketCost": {
            "currencyCode": "USD",
            "units": "5704"
          },
          "upfrontCost": {
            "currencyCode": "USD",
            "units": "4221"
          },
          "rebateValue": {
            "currencyCode": "USD",
            "units": "1483",
            "nanos": 40039063
          },
          "paybackYears": 11.5,
          "savings": {
            "savingsYear1": {
              "currencyCode": "USD",
              "units": "325"
            },
            "savingsYear20": {
              "currencyCode": "USD",
              "units": "7799"
            },
            "presentValueOfSavingsYear20": {
              "currencyCode": "USD",
              "units": "1083",
              "nanos": 500244141
            },
            "financiallyViable": true,
            "savingsLifetime": {
              "currencyCode": "USD",
              "units": "7799"
            },
            "presentValueOfSavingsLifetime": {
              "currencyCode": "USD",
              "units": "1083",
              "nanos": 500244141
            }
          }
        },
        "financedPurchaseSavings": {
          "annualLoanPayment": {
            "currencyCode": "USD",
            "units": "335",
            "nanos": 85540771
          },
          "rebateValue": {
            "currencyCode": "USD"
          },
          "loanInterestRate": 0.05,
          "savings": {
            "savingsYear1": {
              "currencyCode": "USD",
              "units": "-10"
            },
            "savingsYear20": {
              "currencyCode": "USD",
              "units": "1098"
            },
            "presentValueOfSavingsYear20": {
              "currencyCode": "USD",
              "units": "568",
              "nanos": 380859375
            },
            "financiallyViable": true,
            "savingsLifetime": {
              "currencyCode": "USD",
              "units": "1098"
            },
            "presentValueOfSavingsLifetime": {
              "currencyCode": "USD",
              "units": "568",
              "nanos": 380859375
            }
          }
        }
      },
    ],
    /.../
    "panelCapacityWatts": 400,
    "panelHeightMeters": 1.879,
    "panelWidthMeters": 1.045,
    "panelLifetimeYears": 20,
    "buildingStats": {
      "areaMeters2": 2533.1233,
      "sunshineQuantiles": [
        348,
        1376,
        1460,
        1519,
        1550,
        1590,
        1618,
        1638,
        1662,
        1756,
        1864
      ],
      "groundAreaMeters2": 2356.03
    },
    "solarPanels": [
      {
        "center": {
          "latitude": 37.4449659,
          "longitude": -122.139089
        },
        "orientation": "LANDSCAPE",
        "yearlyEnergyDcKwh": 455.40714,
        "segmentIndex": 1
      },
      /.../
    ]
  "imageryQuality": "HIGH",
  "imageryProcessedDate": {
    "year": 2023,
    "month": 8,
    "day": 4
  }
}

Try it!

The API Explorer lets you make sample requests so that you can get familiar with the API and the API options.

  1. Select the API icon, Expand the API Explorer., on the right side of the page.

  2. Optionally edit the request parameters.

  3. Select the Execute button. In the pop-up dialog box, choose the account that you want to use to make the request.

  4. In the API Explorer panel, select the expand icon, Expand the API Explorer., to expand the API Explorer window.

Next
Searching buildings