Last mile delivery in low income communities: The Sekulula spaza express experiment in South Africa

This article is a description of Sekulula Spaza Express, a business model to deliver goods to informal traders piloted in Khayelitsha and Nyanga in Cape Town, South Africa by Reciprocity, a consultancy based in South Africa. The Sekulula Spaza Express model was established by Reciprocity, with funding from PepsiCo, and tested and tracked over a period of 3 months from January to March 2010. The results allowed to gain a better understanding of the dynamics of last mile delivery in low income communities in the South African context, and identify the bottlenecks that need to be addressed in order to create a financially viable business model. It also demonstrated the value of “learning by doing”, and the valuable learnings that can be gathered at little cost to understand the dynamics of last mile delivery and trading in very low income communities. In this regard, Cape Town and its immediate surroundings present unique features, making the area an ideal testing ground for inclusive business models.Cet article décrit l'expérience Sekulula Spaza Express, modèle d'entreprise qui consiste à livrer des marchandises à des revendeurs informels, mis en place dans les quartiers de Khayelitsha et Nyanga du Cap par Reciprocity, une société de conseil basée en Afrique du Sud. Le modèle Sekulula Spaza Express a été créé par Reciprocity, financé par PepsiCo, et testé et suivi sur une période de 3 mois, de janvier à mars 2010. Les résultats ont permis de mieux comprendre la dynamique de la distribution au dernier kilomètre dans les communautés à faible revenu d'Afrique du Sud, et d'identifier les problèmes de goulots d'étranglement à résoudre afin de créer un modèle d'entreprise financièrement viable. Ils ont également démontré la valeur de “l'apprentissage par l'action”, et les enseignements précieux qui peuvent être tirés à faible coût pour comprendre la dynamique de la distribution au dernier kilomètre et le commerce dans les communautés à très faible revenu. A cet égard, le Cap et sa périphérie présentent des caractéristiques uniques qui en font un terrain de test idéal pour les modèles d'entreprise inclusifs.El presente artículo es una descripción de Sekulula Spaza Express, un modelo de negocio orientado a la distribución de mercancías a comerciantes informales desarrollado en Khayelitsha y Nyanga (Ciudad del Cabo, Sudáfrica) por Reciprocity, una consultora con sede en Sudáfrica. El modelo Sekulula Spaza Express fue implantado por Reciprocity con la financiación de PepsiCo, y se probó y comprobó durante un periodo de tres meses, transcurrido entre enero y marzo de 2010. Los resultados permitieron conocer mejor la dinámica de la distribución en el último tramo de las comunidades con bajos ingresos dentro del contexto sudafricano, así como identificar los cuellos de botella a resolver para crear un modelo de negocio viable desde el punto de vista financiero. También demostró el valor del «aprendizaje a través de la práctica» y la provechosa instrucción que se puede obtener con poco esfuerzo para comprender la dinámica de la distribución y el comercio en el último tramo en comunidades con ingresos muy bajos. Ciudad del Cabo y su entorno inmediato presentan características únicas a este respecto, que convierten la zona en un campo de pruebas ideal para los modelos de negocio inclusivos

Le décor des demeures de l'élite urbaine à la fin du Moyen Âge. Les plafonds peints de Metz (XIII e -XV e siècles).

The city of Metz in France holds an exceptional collection of medieval painted ceilings made between the 13th and 15th centuries. Despite being destroyed, incomplete, missing or still unknown, twenty-seven ceilings were the subject of this research. Their study allowed to follow the artistic evolution and to apprehend the styles of Messinian civil interior decorations, without interruption during two centuries. These unknown ceilings are a priceless source of information for the knowledge of the historical and artistic heritage of the city at the end of the Middle Ages. Indeed, they are the testimony of a know-how of the carpenters, the painters and the active workshops in Metz, but also of the wealth of the patrician houses and the art of living of the members of the urban elite. Research around these decorations allows us to immerse in the heart of a European artistic production of the last centuries of the Middle Ages with the use of iconographic themes of great diversity (plant ornamentation, bestiaries, holy figures, tournaments of jousting, Arms). This study follows a multidisciplinary approach intended to display the scientific, material, historical, heraldic, iconographic and stylistic realities of the painted ceilings, in order to detect, among others, what could be the purpose of these sets and the messages that the landlords, of a high social status, wished to convey to their guests. These luxurious ornamentations are undeniably linked to their financial ease, their knowledge of medieval literature, the local artistic environment and the major diplomatic events they were faced with.La ville de Metz détient une collection exceptionnelle de plafonds peints médiévaux réalisés entre le XIIIe siècle et le XVe siècle. Malgré les ensembles détruits, lacunaires, disparus ou encore méconnus, vingt-sept plafonds ont fait l’objet de cette recherche. Leur étude a permis de suivre l’évolution artistique et d’appréhender les styles de décors intérieurs civils messins, sans interruption pendant deux siècles. Ces plafonds, méconnus, sont une source d’informations inestimable pour la connaissance du patrimoine historique et artistique de la ville à la fin du Moyen Âge. En effet, ils témoignent d’un savoir-faire de la part des charpentiers, des peintres et des ateliers actifs à Metz, mais aussi de la richesse des demeures patriciennes et de l’art de vivre des membres de l’élite urbaine. La recherche autour de ces décors permet de s’immerger au coeur d’une production artistique européenne des derniers siècles du Moyen Âge avec l’usage de thèmes iconographiques d’une grande diversité (ornementation végétale, bestiaires, figures saintes, tournois de joute, armoiries). Cette étude suit une démarche pluridisciplinaire destinée à s’approcher des réalités scientifiques, matérielles, historiques, héraldiques, iconographiques et stylistiques des plafonds peints, afin de déceler, entre autres, quels pouvaient être la fonction de ces décors et les messages que les commanditaires, d’un statut social élevé, souhaitaient transmettre à leurs convives. Ces décors luxueux sont indéniablement en lien avec leur aisance financière, leur connaissance de la littérature médiévale, du milieu artistique local et des événements diplomatiques majeurs auxquels ils ont été confrontés

The decoration of urban houses of the elite at the end of the Middle Ages. The painted ceilings of Metz (13th-15th centuries)

La ville de Metz détient une collection exceptionnelle de plafonds peints médiévaux réalisés entre le XIIIe siècle et le XVe siècle. Malgré les ensembles détruits, lacunaires, disparus ou encore méconnus, vingt-sept plafonds ont fait l’objet de cette recherche. Leur étude a permis de suivre l’évolution artistique et d’appréhender les styles de décors intérieurs civils messins, sans interruption pendant deux siècles. Ces plafonds, méconnus, sont une source d’informations inestimable pour la connaissance du patrimoine historique et artistique de la ville à la fin du Moyen Âge. En effet, ils témoignent d’un savoir-faire de la part des charpentiers, des peintres et des ateliers actifs à Metz, mais aussi de la richesse des demeures patriciennes et de l’art de vivre des membres de l’élite urbaine. La recherche autour de ces décors permet de s’immerger au cœur d’une production artistique européenne des derniers siècles du Moyen Âge avec l’usage de thèmes iconographiques d’une grande diversité (ornementation végétale, bestiaires, figures saintes, tournois de joute, armoiries). Cette étude suit une démarche pluridisciplinaire destinée à s’approcher des réalités scientifiques, matérielles, historiques, héraldiques, iconographiques et stylistiques des plafonds peints, afin de déceler, entre autres, quels pouvaient être la fonction de ces décors et les messages que les commanditaires, d’un statut social élevé, souhaitaient transmettre à leurs convives. Ces décors luxueux sont indéniablement en lien avec leur aisance financière, leur connaissance de la littérature médiévale, du milieu artistique local et des événements diplomatiques majeurs auxquels ils ont été confrontés.The city of Metz in France holds an exceptional collection of medieval painted ceilings made between the 13th and 15th centuries. Despite being destroyed, incomplete, missing or still unknown, twenty-seven ceilings were the subject of this research. Their study allowed to follow the artistic evolution and to apprehend the styles of Messinian civil interior decorations, without interruption during two centuries. These unknown ceilings are a priceless source of information for the knowledge of the historical and artistic heritage of the city at the end of the Middle Ages. Indeed, they are the testimony of a know-how of the carpenters, the painters and the active workshops in Metz, but also of the wealth of the patrician houses and the art of living of the members of the urban elite. Research around these decorations allows us to immerse in the heart of a European artistic production of the last centuries of the Middle Ages with the use of iconographic themes of great diversity (plant ornamentation, bestiaries, holy figures, tournaments of jousting, Arms). This study follows a multidisciplinary approach intended to display the scientific, material, historical, heraldic, iconographic and stylistic realities of the painted ceilings, in order to detect, among others, what could be the purpose of these sets and the messages that the landlords, of a high social status, wished to convey to their guests. These luxurious ornamentations are undeniably linked to their financial ease, their knowledge of medieval literature, the local artistic environment and the major diplomatic events they were faced wit

Caracterisation, sequence nucleotidique et organisation du genome du virus 4 de Spiroplasma melliferum : SpV4

SIGLECNRS T Bordereau / INIST-CNRS - Institut de l'Information Scientifique et TechniqueFRFranc

Last mile delivery in low income communities: The Sekulula spaza express experiment in South Africa

This article is a description of Sekulula Spaza Express, a business model to deliver goods to informal traders piloted in Khayelitsha and Nyanga in Cape Town, South Africa by Reciprocity, a consultancy based in South Africa. The Sekulula Spaza Express model was established by Reciprocity, with funding from PepsiCo, and tested and tracked over a period of 3 months from January to March 2010. The results allowed to gain a better understanding of the dynamics of last mile delivery in low income communities in the South African context, and identify the bottlenecks that need to be addressed in order to create a financially viable business model. It also demonstrated the value of “learning by doing”, and the valuable learnings that can be gathered at little cost to understand the dynamics of last mile delivery and trading in very low income communities. In this regard, Cape Town and its immediate surroundings present unique features, making the area an ideal testing ground for inclusive business models

An experimental investigation into the use of water to provide thermal mass in building fabric

The development of renewable energy is essential, however many renewable resources are intermittent. Therefore, developing storage techniques has become a major issue of the energy field. In particular, thermal energy storage can help to manage resources, reducing energy consumption and improving passive buildings. Heavy masonry materials (brick, stone, concrete) have been used for many centuries, and use of phase change materials have been researched recently for this role. But water, which has one of the highest sensible heat capacities known and is free, appears so far to have been almost neglected. This paper presents an experimental laboratory study into the use of water as a sensible thermal storage medium, and a comparison with sand, which has similar properties to masonry. The thermal responses of ‘walls’ containing water or sand have been measured for various dynamic thermal inputs. The experiments were done with an insulated box of length 125 cm, width 60 cm and depth 60 cm, with separate insulated lid. Various ‘walls’ were installed, separating the box into two equal parts. For the first set of experiments, the dividing wall was a box made of 4mm acrylic sheet, internal width 40mm. For the second set of experiments, the wall was made of 6 stackable 5 litre plastic water containers. A heat mat was placed in one half of the box, connected to a DC power supply. Experiments were done with the box top entirely insulated, or with just the heated side insulated, the other side being open to the air, or with the heated side covered but not insulated. The response of the system to various step and cyclic heat inputs, corresponding to heat gains in a room, was investigated. Twelve thermocouples were fixed at different points in the rig, in order to measure the evolution of temperature over time. A heat flux sensor was used to measure heat flow across the wall surfaces. These data were collected with the software LabVIEW and analysed using a spreadsheet. Significant differences in thermal response were observed between water and sand. It was found that the water can store more heat than sand, taking longer to warm up and release heat. Due to convective processes, the heat also transferred more quickly into the water, and across the acrylic box when filled with water compared to sand. These results show that water acts as an effective sensible heat storage medium, and unlike phase change materials will operate across a wide temperature range. Water thermal storage could be applied in buildings, or temporary structures, to provide effective thermal mass at low cost to provide improved comfort and reduced energy consumption