Daylighting evaluation and optimisation of window to wall ratio for lecture theatre in the tropical climate

A base case model is a more potent dose for applied research; the passive architectural design for sustainability requires optimised experiments. However, experimenting with physical developments require construction and deconstruction until they achieved the optimal scenario. These wastes resources and time; hence, base models' development as useful instruments in the optimisation design process is desirable. Lecture theatres in universities have no specific design model whereby optimising one may not apply to the other. Therefore, this research evaluated a base model for lecture theatre regarding spatial configuration, daylighting potentials, and optimised window-to-wall ratio (WWR) for tropical daylighting. A study of ten existing lecture theatres in eight universities within eight states in Nigeria's hot-humid climate was analysed descriptively for the base model. The study employed Simulations with IES-VE software. The daylighting performance analysis adopted the daylighting rule of thumb, daylight factor, work plane illuminance (WPI), and WPI ratio. The results show that a typical lecture theatre in the study area has a dimensional configuration of 12×20 m floor plan, 6 m ceiling height, and a window wall ratio (WWR) of 13%. In the deduced base model, 4H was required for adequate daylighting against the thumb's 2.5 H daylighting rule. The research concludes a low window-wall ratio with poor daylighting quality and quantities in the base model; therefore, it implies that the daylighting was not a criterion in the designs. However, the experiment revealed a progression in daylighting performance with an increase in WWR from the base case until 30% WWR. Beyond that, there was a decline in the daylighting performance. Therefore, 30% WWR was optimal for daylighting performance in lecture theatre retrofitting within the tropical climate

Study of skeletal remains from CQ Feature 21, Benin city: an update

International audienceIn parallel with the Ife-Sungbo archaeological project led by A. Ogunfolakan and G. Chouin, a complementary research has been carried out by C. Chapelain de Seréville-Niel, CNRS research engineer and archaeo-anthropologist at Centre for Ancient and Medieval Archaeological and Historical Research of the University of Caen Normandy (France). This study, which began in 2019, concerns the bone collection excavated by G. Connah in the early 1960s in a mass grave located in a tank in Benin City. In addition to determining the anthropological characteristics of this population (age, sex, bones particularities), it will enable us to compare, complete and revise previous available data, especially on the pathologies noted or the nature of funerary recruitment. Sampling of petrous bones for subsequent DNA analysis was also carried out during this operation.This study was carried out as part of a preliminary training workshop in physical anthropology. The methodology followed consisted in carrying out a complete inventory of the collection: identification, osteological measurements and observations, and pictures of each bone were recorded on a shared database (Google Drive). This shared workspace was conducive to interaction and collaborative work with seven students from the University of Ibadan and several lecturers from its Department of Archaeology and Anthropology (Prof. R. A. Alabi, A. O. Opadeji and K. Adekola). During the 2022 research campaign, they also facilitated meetings with various local university authorities at the University of Ibadan, with the objective to future scientific collaboration between the University of Ibadan and Caen Normandy

Study of skeletal remains from CQ Feature 21, Benin city: an update

International audienceIn parallel with the Ife-Sungbo archaeological project led by A. Ogunfolakan and G. Chouin, a complementary research has been carried out by C. Chapelain de Seréville-Niel, CNRS research engineer and archaeo-anthropologist at Centre for Ancient and Medieval Archaeological and Historical Research of the University of Caen Normandy (France). This study, which began in 2019, concerns the bone collection excavated by G. Connah in the early 1960s in a mass grave located in a tank in Benin City. In addition to determining the anthropological characteristics of this population (age, sex, bones particularities), it will enable us to compare, complete and revise previous available data, especially on the pathologies noted or the nature of funerary recruitment. Sampling of petrous bones for subsequent DNA analysis was also carried out during this operation.This study was carried out as part of a preliminary training workshop in physical anthropology. The methodology followed consisted in carrying out a complete inventory of the collection: identification, osteological measurements and observations, and pictures of each bone were recorded on a shared database (Google Drive). This shared workspace was conducive to interaction and collaborative work with seven students from the University of Ibadan and several lecturers from its Department of Archaeology and Anthropology (Prof. R. A. Alabi, A. O. Opadeji and K. Adekola). During the 2022 research campaign, they also facilitated meetings with various local university authorities at the University of Ibadan, with the objective to future scientific collaboration between the University of Ibadan and Caen Normandy