bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Internet of things for aquaculture in smart crab farming
Authors: Pitakphongmetha Jumras , Suntiamorntut W. , Charoenpanyasak S.
Published: March 2021

Internet of Things (IoT) has been introduced and applied in many applications and become an emerging technology in digital era. The major economic in southern part of Thailand is aquaculture such as fishery, shrimp, pearl, mud crab and so on. The concept of IoT which is about connecting the sensors and gathering all necessary data to cloud platform allowing us to compute, control measure, and manage farm efficiently. Soft shell crab is most important ingredient in Chinese, Japanese, and co-fusion menu requiring in many premium restaurants. Unfortunately, the productivity of soft-shell crab industry is very small due to a low survival rate in raising process and lacking of small crab. In tradition al soft-shell crab farm, each small crab has been grown separately of a small box in the old shrimp pond. Farmer has to feed them individually and monitor them every 4 hours in order to avoid soft-shell crab turns to hard shell. In this work, thus, we propose to apply IoT and intelligent system to improve the productivity in the traditional soft-shell crab farm. Water quality sensors, motion sensors, and feeding system are designed and developed to enhance the survival capability of soft-shell crab farm. Meanwhile, with the same concept, our system can be applied in another aquaculture to be smarter farm and be precision aquaculture in the southern path of Thailand.
Investigation of the influence of tank geometry on a vessel’s stability under free surface effect when in coastal waters
Authors: Fuge Ross , Rizvi Jahir
Published: March 2021

Tank sizes on liquid cargo carriers are becoming larger to minimise wasted spaces on-board and maximise payload capacity. This trend can significantly affect a vessel’s stability and its design. Therefore, this paper investigates whether spherical tanks provide better stability than a traditional tank formed with vertical sides under a range of free surface scenarios. The motions of a model liquid cargo carrier hull with various sizes of tanks and various fill levels has been investigated in a coastal basin. Regular waves of various heights and frequencies have been generated and the rolling motions of the hull have been documented. Results have shown that spherical tanks offer less free surface effects compared to vertical sided tanks thus create less rolling motion. In contrast, when the hull has four tanks, all of those with free surfaces, the vertical sided tanks provide better stability up to 50% fill levels whereas spherical tanks induce less roll between the fill levels 50% and 100%.
The capacity analysis of dynamic positioning for semi-submersible vessel
Authors: Guo Yulong , Zhang Fujie , Ma Weixin
Published: March 2021

In this paper, the Dynamic Position model (DP) of semi-submersible vessel was established in Ariane system based on static analysis and standards, to obtain DP capability polar plot under different failure pattern. Through the time-domain simulation, PID control theory and Kalman filtering method were used in DP accuracy analysis. Analysis results, such as ship motion, DP accuracy and propeller variation, could be provided for safety and reliability check in engineering practice.
CFD numerical simulation of a container ship turning motion
Authors: Zixin Wu , Weimin Chen , Hao Hao
Published: March 2021

The ship turning motion can reflect the turning characteristics of the ship and is closely related to the navigation safety of the ship. In the turning performance test, the trajectory drawn by the center of gravity of the ship is called the turning circle. The turning circle is an important indicator to characterize the turning performance of a ship. At present, the results of ship turning obtained by numerical calculations are still very different from the test ones. In this paper, the free turning motion of a container ship is simulated by a commercial software which is called STARCCM+. In order to reduce the amount of calculation, a body-force propeller model is adopted to replace the real propeller. Through the global solution of the fully viscous flow field, the characteristic parameters and the motion track of the ship turning motion can be gotten. The ship’s motion trajectory and the parameters of the turning motion obtained by numerical prediction are in good agreement with the test values, which fully proves the applicability and reliability of the proposed method in numerical prediction.
Silicon strip defects and their impact on electrical performance of readout electronics
Authors: Affolder A. , Fadeyev V. , Galloway Z. , Gignac M. , Gunnell J. , Johnson J. , Kang N. , Kaplon J. , Martinez-Mckinney F.
Published: March 2021

In preparation for the High Luminosity LHC (HL-LHC) runs,
the ATLAS inner detector will be completely replaced with an all
silicon Inner Tracker (ITk). Hybrid silicon pixel modules will be
used for the innermost tracking layers, and silicon micro-strip
detectors will be used the outer layers of the tracker. During the
production of the detector, the sensors, readout electronics, and
other components will undergo a series of quality control (QC) and
quality assurance tests. Defects in the fabrication of the sensors
will be flagged early in the manufacturer's and ATLAS QC tests. A
study of the influence of sensor defects was performed to assess the
characteristics of these defects in completed modules, and whether
any defect posed a risk to the operation of the front-end readout
electronics. All defects were found to have no impact on the
performance of the front-end readout electronics for healthy
amplifier channels, and defects that short the coupling between the
strip implant and the metal readout electrode were only noticeable
for strip leakage currents in excess of 250 nA, beyond the
end-of-life currents expected for most sensors at the HL-LHC.
Multiscale porosity in a 3D printed gellan–gelatin composite for bone tissue engineering
Authors: Gupta Deepak , Vashisth Priya , Bellare Jayesh
Published: March 2021

The aim of this work was to develop a complex-shaped gelatin–gellan composite scaffold with multiscale porosity using a combination of cryogenic 3D printing and lyophilization for bone tissue engineering. Cryogenic 3D printing was used to fabricate a low-concentration composite of complex-shaped macroporous gelatin–gellan structures with a pore size of 919 ± 89 µm. This was followed by lyophilization to introduce micropores of size 20–250 µm and nanometre-level surface functionalities, thus achieving a hierarchical porous structure. These multiscale porous scaffolds (GMu) were compared with two other types of scaffolds having only microporosity (GMi) and macroporosity (GMa) with regard to their physical andin vitrobiological properties. GMu scaffolds were found to be better than GMi and GMa in terms of swelling percentage, degradation rate, uniform pore distribution, cellular infiltration, attachment, proliferation, protein generation and mineralization. In conclusion, we have developed a controlled hierarchical bone-like structure, biomimicking natural bone, together with a reproducible process of manufacture by coupling soft hydrogel 3D printing with lyophilization. This enables the development of complex-shaped patient-specific 3D printed hydrogel scaffolds with enhanced performancein vitroand great potential in the fields of tissue engineering, bioprinting and regenerative medicine.
Global warming and population change both heighten future risk of human displacement due to river floods
Authors: Kam Pui Man , Aznar-Siguan Gabriela , Schewe Jacob , Milano Leonardo , Ginnetti Justin , Willner Sven , McCaughey Jamie W , Bresch David N
Published: March 2021

Every year, millions of people around the world are being displaced from their homes due to climate-related disasters. River flooding is responsible for a large part of this displacement. Previous studies have shown that river flood risk is expected to change as a result of global warming and its effects on the hydrological cycle. At the same time, future scenarios of socio-economic development imply substantial population increases in many of the areas that presently experience disaster-induced displacement. Here we show that both global warming and population change are projected to lead to substantial increases in flood-induced displacement risk over the coming decades. We use a global climate-hydrology-inundation modelling chain, including multiple alternative climate and hydrological models, to quantify the effect of global warming on displacement risk assuming either current or projected future population distributions. Keeping population fixed at present levels, we find roughly a 50% increase in global displacement risk for every degree of global warming. Adding projected population changes further exacerbates these increases globally and in most world regions, with the relative global flood displacement risk is increasing by roughly 350% at the end of the 21st century, compared to an increase of 150% without the contribution of population change. While the resolution of the global models is limited, the effect of global warming is robust across greenhouse gas concentration scenarios, climate models and hydrological models. These findings indicate a need for rapid action on both climate mitigation and adaptation agendas in order to reduce future risks to vulnerable populations.
Finance-based accounting of coal emissions
Authors: Manych Niccolò , Steckel Jan Christoph , Jakob Michael
Published: March 2021

Most new coal-fired power plants are currently being constructed in Asia. These plants are financed by banks and investors, which in many instances reside elsewhere. This paper examines the international dimension of coal financing from commercial banks and institutional investors based on a newly constructed dataset. We analyse domestic as well as cross-border financial flows and propose a methodology to calculate ‘finance-based emissions’ associated with the construction of coal-fired power plants. Our results indicate that financial institutions from the United States, Europe and Japan play a major role in financing coal plants globally, especially in terms of loans, bonds and equity investment. From a finance-based perspective some countries account for a substantially larger share of coal emissions than under the commonly used territorial approach that assigns emissions to the country where they are released.
Coupling the dual isotopes of water (δ
2H and δ
18O) and nitrate (δ
15N and δ
18O): a new framework for classifying current and legacy groundwater pollution
Authors: Weitzman Julie N , Brooks J Renée , Mayer Paul M , Rugh William D , Compton Jana E
Published: March 2021

Nitrate contamination of groundwater is a concern globally, particularly in agricultural regions where decades of fertilizer nitrogen (N) use has led to a legacy of N accumulation in soils and groundwater. Linkages between current management practices and groundwater nitrate dynamics are often confounded by the legacy effect, and other processes unrelated to management. A coupled analysis of dual stable isotopes of water (δH2O = δ
2H and δ
18O) and nitrate (δNO3
−= δ
15N and δ
18O) can be a powerful approach to identify sources and processes responsible for groundwater pollution. To assess how management practices impact groundwater nitrate, we interpreted behavior of δH2O and δNO3
−, together with nitrate concentrations, in water samples collected from long-term monitoring wells in the Southern Willamette Valley (SWV), Oregon. The source(s) of nitrate and water varied among wells, suggesting that the nitrate concentration patterns were not uniform across the shallow aquifer of the valley. Analyzing the stability versus variability of a well’s corresponding δH2O and δNO3
− values over time revealed the mechanisms controlling nitrate concentrations. Wells with stable δH2O and δNO3
− values and nitrate concentrations were influenced by one water source with a long residence time and one nitrate source. Variable nitrate concentrations of other wells were attributed to dilution with an alternate water source, mixing of two nitrate sources, or variances in the release of legacy N from overlying soils. Denitrification was not an important process influencing well nitrate dynamics. Understanding the drivers of nitrate dynamics and interaction with legacy N is crucial for managing water quality improvement. This case study illustrates when and where such coupled stable isotope approaches might provide key insights to management on groundwater nitrate contamination issues.
Feedback attribution to dry heatwaves over East Asia
Authors: Seo Ye-Won , Ha Kyung-Ja , Park Tae-Won
Published: March 2021

Summer heatwave events have exhibited increasing trends, with sudden increases occurring since the early 2000s over northeastern China and along the northern boundary of Mongolia. However, the mechanism behind heatwaves remains unexplored. To quantitatively examine the feedback attribution of concurrent events related to surface temperature anomalies, the coupled atmosphere–surface climate feedback-response analysis method based on the total energy balance within the atmosphere–surface column was applied. The results demonstrate that the contributions of the latent heat flux and surface dynamic processes served as positive feedback for surface warming by reducing the heat release from the surface to the atmosphere because of deficient soil moisture based on dry conditions. Cloud feedback also led to warm temperature anomalies through increasing solar insolation caused by decreasing cloud amounts associated with anomalous high-pressure systems. In contrast, the sensible heat flux played a role in reducing the warm temperature anomalies by the emission of heat from the surface. Atmospheric dynamic feedback led to cold anomalies. The influence of ozone, surface albedo, and water vapor processes is very weak. This study provides a better understanding of combined extreme climate events in the context of radiative and dynamic feedback processes.
Multipartite quantum systems: an approach based on Markov matrices and the Gini index
Authors: Vourdas A
Published: March 2021

An expansion of row Markov matrices in terms of matrices related to permutations with repetitions, is introduced. It generalises the Birkhoff–von Neumann expansion of doubly stochastic matrices in terms of permutation matrices (without repetitions). An interpretation of the formalism in terms of sequences of integers that open random safes described by the Markov matrices, is presented. Various quantities that describe probabilities and correlations in this context, are discussed. The Gini index is used to quantify the sparsity (certainty) of various probability vectors. The formalism is used in the context of multipartite quantum systems with finite dimensional Hilbert space, which can be viewed as quantum permutations with repetitions or as quantum safes. The scalar product of row Markov matrices, the various Gini indices, etc, are novel probabilistic quantities that describe the statistics of multipartite quantum systems. Local and global Fourier transforms are used to define locally dual and also globally dual statistical quantities. The latter depend on off-diagonal elements that entangle (in general) the various components of the system. Examples which demonstrate these ideas are also presented.
Improvement on the Production Energy of Shale oil Using Waste Plastics
Authors: Olugbenga A. G. , Yahya M. D. , Umeh B. O. , Ojochegbe O. S.
Published: March 2021

An alternative fuels is obtained by co-pyrolysis of waste plastics and oil shale as well as contribute to the search of technologies that reduce the negative environmental impact of waste. Shale oil and waste plastic are unconventional sources of energy. The two materials are significant to Nigeria’s economic sustainability but yet to be exploited efficiently. The aim of this work is to reduce the energy needed to obtain shale oil via kinetic parameters by the thermal decomposition of Lokpanta oil shale mixed with plastics. The kinetics of the thermal decomposition of Lokpanta oil shale/ polyethylene blend was determined using data provided by thermo-gravimetric analysis done at 28°C to 887.44°C with heating rate of 10°C/min and a nitrogen flow rate of 60ml/min. The decomposition of the co-pyrolysis of the mixture of Lokpanta oil shale and the polyethylene was recognized in three stages, of which the first stage was between 28 and 316.41°C which corresponded to the loss of water from the sample. The second stage was between 316.41°C and 481.47°C, which depicted an overlap of the organic matter (kerogen) and the degradation of polyethylene. The final stage was between 481.47°C and 887.44°C, and it exposed the decomposition of the mineral matter of the oil shale. The Kinetic parameter was determined using non-isothermal methods of degradation. Hence the presence of the plastic acted as catalyst in the decomposition of the organic matter of the shale which consequently lowered the activation energy required to obtain shale oil with relevant application as aliphatic fractions of petroleum.
Production of Fuels from Nigeria’s Untapped ‘Waste Wealth’ Using Pyrolysis.
Authors: Olugbenga Adeola Grace , Egbedayo Temilorun Taiwo , Yahya Muibat Diekola , Garba Mohammed Umar
Published: March 2021

The extent of pollution that plastic waste poses to our environment is phenomenal. In Nigeria, millions of metric ton of plastics are manufactured continuously due to industrialization and urbanization, a measurable rise in the generation of waste plastics is inevitable, so also is the need to seek alternate energy sources in the place of conventional fuels. Oral disposal of plastics has led to blockage of drainages, flooding and several mess yet unemployment is very high. It is important to venture into how this solid waste can create job opportunities along recycling value chain. Plastics are made by polymerization of hydrocarbons. These hydrocarbon are of typically high molecular mass which are fuel based material. The catalytic and thermal pyrolysis of waste polyethylene terephthalate was carried out using a fixed bed reactor operating at a maximum temperature of 600°C and 350°C respectively. The product obtained are liquid fuel, char and gaseous fuels. For the latter, the catalyst to plastic ratio was effective for ratio 1:6 thus increasing the yield of gas from 50.7% to 55%. The liquid oil obtained in thermal pyrolysis has low quality compare to catalysis pyrolysis with high yield of 39%, but 30.5% for catalysis pyrolysis. The effect of catalyst on temperature, the retention time and product yield enhance the identification of the hydrocarbon compounds present in the liquid oil, ZSM 5 catalyst ratio was raised to ratio 1:10. About sixty-one compounds were identified and the quality of fuel oil was described in terms of aromatic and aliphatic hydrocarbon content. The direct implication is that the fuels can serve as alternatives to kerosene petroleum fuel fractions.
Empirical Assessment Of Ammonia And Urea Concentrations In Wastewater From A Pharmaceutical Plant: A Case Study
Authors: Sanni S E , Odigure J O , Agboola O , Emetere M E , Okoro E E , Audu C
Published: March 2021

In several ways, urea is one of the most prominent sources of fixed nitrogen due to its relative abundance in waste water treatment plants. In this study, the wastewater effluent from X-Chemical Industries was considered for hazard analysis in order to ascertain the water quality and impact at the outfall effluent of company X relative to environmental standards. The study period is for December, 2013 – February 2014. Based on the results, it was observed that at the company’s sluice gate, the desorber (primary treatment unit) did not perform optimally. Also, the variation of the parameters measured i.e. urea concentration, pH and ammonia concentrations exceeded the standards established by the World Bank, International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), i.e. against the specified standard of 100 ppm, higher concentrations include December 3, 9, 11, 12, 19, 20, 21, 24, 25, 27, 28 and 29 with corresponding urea concentrations of 1457, 1970.4, 122.7, 163.2, 150.3, 171.4, 148.76, 270.78, 178, 123, 101.33 and 250.43 ppm respectively, whereas that of ammonia is higher than 5 ppm on December 3, 21, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28 and 29 with corresponding concentrations of 8.4, 9.69, 8.13, 9.45, 12.5, 6.98, 22.95 and 9.95 respectively, whereas, it was lowest on other days. It was also observed that the treated waste water advancing the creek (jetty) close to the plant, will have environmental consequences on marine lives such as marine micro-flora as well as fishes.
Developing a Multi-factor Authentication-based Cardless Electronic Payment System
Authors: Ayo C.K , Mac-Eze C.M , Adebiyi A.A. , Oni A. , Okesola J.O. , Odun-Ayo I.
Published: March 2021

The Nigerian economy is still largely cash based arising from inadequate infrastructure, trust and instability in the banking sector. However, there are improvements in the adoption of the electronic platform through the concerted efforts of government by introducing some policies that encourage its use. The recent policy is the cashless policy, which is aimed at reducing the use of cash to the barest minimum. This paper is aimed at developing an electronic payment system that integrates all the bank accounts of a particular holder together and access granted to them with or without a payment card through a multi-factor authentication procedures such as pin, fingerprint, irish or 3D facial recognition. On a full implementation, this system incorporates additional security protocol on the device to avoid nonrepudiation and ensure that the user is actually who he claims to be. The system will enhance ease of use as well as simplify the use of the e-Payment channels.
A search for appropriate anchor tenants in shopping malls in Lagos metropolis
Authors: Iroham C. O. , Olawale O.S. , Oni A. S. , Okagbue H. I. , Emetere M. E. , Oletubo A. A. , Egejuru A. C. , Osazuwa O. N.
Published: March 2021

Anchor tenant which have been regarded as tenants in shopping mall that propel visitation and activities in the mall has been studied majorly in line with its impact on customers, other shopping outlets and generally on the mall. There appears to be no work on a search for the constituents of anchor tenant in the mall. This happens to be the crux of the present study with emphasis on three notable malls in Lagos Metropolis, The Palms Mall, Ikeja City Mall and Adeniran Ogunsanyan Shopping Mall. A total of 207 questionnaires were distributed to customers of the mall using the mall intercept approach of which a cumulative response rate of 81% was achieved. Data collated which was geared towards ascertaining the stores/products offered that attract the customers to the malls was rated on a likert scale of 5 and analysed using the Relative Importance Index and result substantiated with the chi-square test of significance both at the 0.05% and 0.01% level of significance. The study advocated that mix of the plethoric of Departmental Stores (4.7917); Entertainment centres (4.6250); clothing foot wares and accessories (4.5833); Electronics and electrical appliances (4.4881); food and beverage (4.4583); food stuff (4.2381); Watches, jewellery and ornament (4.1904); and Financial Services (4.0000) will be best suited as anchor tenants in the study area.
Resilient Design Strategy: Engaging Amphibious Structures to Combat Flood in the Development of an Internally Displaced Persons Settlement Scheme in Nigeria
Authors: Sholanke A. B. , Chilaka D. A. , Oti M. A. , Nelson S. A. , Nnatuanya M. C. , Udezi B. E.
Published: March 2021

Flooding is a natural disaster that has been on the increase in many parts of the world. In the last two decades, this unforeseen destructive occurrence has led to the loss of millions of lives and properties valued at millions of dollars in many countries, including Nigeria. Though several attempts have been advanced as possible solutions to help curb the devastating consequences of flooding in the past, many of the solutions have proven not to be as effective as expected. This paper, examined the potentials amphibious structures present as a resilient strategy to combat flood, to develop an architectural design proposal of a sustainable Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) settlement, that can withstand the peculiar challenges caused by flooding in Nigeria. The study adopted qualitative research approaches. Data consulted to develop the design proposal were assembled through random search of the internet from archival documents related to the subject and the data were analysed by thematic textual analysis. The findings were presented with texts, architectural two-dimensional and 3-dimensional drawings, tables and plates. Useful information from the analysed data became the conceptual framework on which the scheme was developed. The outcome of the study is the development of an architectural design scheme that utilised a combination of amphibious structures strategy and simple sustainable innovative design measures to proffer solution to an environmental problem, as well as the peculiar social, cultural and religious issues associated with the study area. The conceptual base on which the model was developed is for the settlement to co-exist with flood, rather than the common concept of resisting flood. Though the design was developed for a location in Girei, Adamawa State in the Northern part of Nigeria, the scheme is a useful guide for designing settlements and addressing issues in flood-prone areas in other parts of the globe, as well as a valuable educational material on issues pertaining to the development of settlements in flood-prone areas.
Promoting Green Urbanism in Nigerian Purlieus as Therapy for Psychological Wellbeing/Health
Authors: Ekhaese E N , Adejuwon G A , Evbuoma I K
Published: March 2021

Green urbanism highlight on reducing unforeseen dangers to human wellbeing through exposure to various environmental hazards, poor living conditions and other challenges associated with purlieus. This paper examined the influence of green urbanism on psychological wellbeing (physical symptoms and positive functioning) of residents in urban sprawls. Participants were 240 residents of purlieus’ in Ota, Ogun, Nigeria randomly selected to participate in the study. They completed standardized questionnaires which measured demographic variables, Physical symptoms and Positive Functioning. Data analysis was done using inferential statistics. Findings indicated that Physical Symptoms (PS) means score was found to increase as number of children in the family increases. Positive functioning (PF), among the participants were found to decrease as the number of children in the families increases. Physical symptoms (PS) increases as the length of stay in the houses increases among the participants while Positive functioning (PF) was found to be decreasing. Most of the houses were constructed in the 2000s yet they do not meet the standard practice in sustainable buildings. The poorly built houses are situated in unhygienic environment where basic amenities are unavailable. The implication of this is that the occupants of these building are prone to high level of physical symptoms such as stomach upset, headache, backache, have trouble sleeping, diarrhea, dizziness, tiredness and fatigue. The result of the study has addressed health related issues in built environment as well as showed that built environment should have an organic sustainable content (green living initiatives) for healthy living and psychological wellbeing.
Impact Of Classroom Environments’ On The Academic Performance Of Architecture Students In Covenant University
Authors: Adewale Bukola , Jegede Foluke , Okubote Feyisayo , Olagbadegun Marvelous
Published: March 2021

Nigerian Schools of Architecture face the various challenges of out-dated design, declining conditions, and capacity utilisation pressures. The effects of these conditions are threats to the academic performance of the students. The study aimed at investigating the impact the learning environment has on the academic performance of students of Architecture at Covenant University, Ota, Ogun State, Nigeria. This research made use of quantitative and qualitative research approach. Data was collected through a structured questionnaire, and the IBM SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Sciences) was used for analysis. Results show that the classroom environment has effects on students’ academic performance. This is due to their satisfaction and comfort in the learning environment. Findings also show that the comfort derived from facilities and physical components within the classroom affects their academic performance. Although the research findings have shown that the physical components of the classroom learning environment had no direct impact on the students’ academic performance, based on the research it is recommended that visual learning aid should be maximised. Also, the classroom facilities should be improved to encourage students to make use of their classrooms. Further, the physical components classroom environment affects but does not have a direct impact on students’ academic performance; however, the perception of students on these components should be explored to create a comfortable classroom environment.
Visual Quality Assessment of Covenant University Senate Building Façade
Authors: Oludare Obaleye J. , Ezema. I. C , Adeboye A. B
Published: March 2021

Visual quality assessment plays a major role in determining the visual sustainability of the physical environment. Visual sustainability underscores the visual relationship between people and their environment. Several studies have been carried out on the subject of visual quality in architecture from other parts of the world. However, not much is seen on record in the Nigerian context. There are also concerns that there is a decline in the visual quality of university buildings. In the light of foregoing, it is essential to understand in detail the visual quality of university buildings not only from the perspective of built environment practitioners but also from the general public as potential users of the buildings. In this respect, the senate buildings of selected universities in Southwest Nigeria were selected for the study given the central role such buildings play in university administration and interaction with a variety of users. However, the senate building of Covenant University Ota is the focus of this paper. The study was aimed at identifying the architectural elements on the Covenant University Senate Building facade to understand public perception for future applications in architectural education, design, and overall visual sustainability. A cross-sectional survey was adopted for the study, and a stratified random sampling technique used in selecting respondents. In Total, 577 valid responses were collected from respondents in ten selected universities in Southwest Nigeria and analysed descriptively using frequencies, percentages, and mean score on the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). Photograph of the Covenant University senate building façade was attached to the questionnaire to aid the visual assessment. Qualitative research involving the use of an interview guide preceded the survey research. The result from the study revealed that façade shape and height were perceived as the most interesting in the Covenant University senate building façade attractiveness. The study implied the need for equipping of designers on the perception of building design elements for adequate facade conceptualisation in designing. This, in essence, will enhance the attractiveness of the university senate building façade and also impact the entire campus visual sustainability.
Youth Employment Creation as an Inclusive Solution for Sustainable Development: Lessons from the ‘Double You Digital Skills Initiative’ in Nigeria
Authors: Tunji-Olayeni Patience , Osabuohien Evans , Yabkwa Isreal , Ademola Andrew
Published: March 2021

Youth unemployment is one of the most pressing issues confronting world leaders in the 21st century. Youth unemployment has negative implications for economic and social progress. In Nigeria, youth unemployment hit an all-time high of 55.4% in the third quarter of 2018. With almost all sectors been digitalised, digital skills become one of the most promising solutions to youth unemployment. It is a necessity for wage employment and in the creation of a personal business. However, anecdotal and empirical evidence shows that many youths lack the requisite skills for using digital technology productively. Hence, there is an increase in international and local efforts toward digital skills training for youths. This study reports the findings from a pilot digital skills training programme organised by the Double You Initiative in July 2019. It was based on a quantitative research approach with the use of an online questionnaire to obtain information from youths across Nigeria through a purposive sampling technique. The findings show that youths within the ages of 19 and 24 will likely subscribe more to digital skills training than any other age group. Also, undergraduate students are more interested in digital skills training, and the most common digital skill preference among youths is digital marketing. The lessons from the digital skills training reported in this paper can be useful in enhancing the preparedness of stakeholders towards the provision of digital skills training that will promote decent jobs for youths in Nigeria.
Pillars of Effective and Efficient Energy Systems in Nigeria
Authors: Fayomi O. S. I. , Banjo S.O. , Agboola O. , Oyebanji J.A. , Udoye N. E.
Published: March 2021

Nigeria is posed with a myriad of challenges to achieving efficient energy systems; the colossal collective demand for sufficient electricity for approximately 200 million is a concern. Another challenge is the mismanagement of Nigeria’s abundant resources, by individuals and by groups. It has withheld us, for decades, from making the bold and rapid progress which ought to have made for the energy system. This report explores the concept of an energy system in Nigeria perspective and progresses.
A Review of Energy Consumption in Foundry Industry
Authors: Fayomi O. S. I. , Agboola O. , Oyedepo S.O. , Ngene B. , Udoye N. E.
Published: March 2021

Energy is a multiplying factor which allows man to translate various raw material and resources into useful items to meet the daily demands and necessities of human beings. Foundry technology involved casting from molten metal transferred into a mould and permitted to harden under varying conditions depending on the purpose. This paper reviews the foundry industry as an energy exhaustive industry, in the sense that it requires energy in various forms such as electrical, heat and mechanical to carry out various engineering processes to deliver the appropriate casting required. It also reviews the different methods are currently being employed to make the manufacturing process more efficient and each of them have led to an increase in energy demand. It is affirmed that the new methods involved in foundry and their energy management policy can led to more efficient energy consumption for casted product.
Energy Efficiency Design Strategies in Office Buildings: A Literature Review
Authors: Erebor E. M. , Ibem E. O. , Ezema I. C. , Sholanke A. B
Published: March 2021

The growing concerns over the adverse effects of buildings on the environment and the need to achieve users’ thermal, visual, acoustic, spatial and indoor environmental air quality comfort have given rise to the demand for energy efficient buildings. This paper relied on a review of 36 articles published between 2007 and 2019 to identify and categorise energy efficiency design, planning and construction applicable to office buildings. The data were randomly selected using Science Direct and Google Scholar search engines on the internet and analysed by thematic textual analysis. The results revealed 29 energy efficiency design strategies applicable for office buildings which were categorised into the three distinct phases of building projects: pre-construction (design and planning), construction and post construction stages. The strategies were further categorised into energy efficient landscape designs, site selection, building orientation, building plan and appropriate space organisation. The study also established that building envelope systems, building orientation, integration of renewable energy sources and day lighting design strategies were the most implemented in office buildings. The review concluded by highlighting the key areas of focus in energy efficiency design strategies in office buildings, the extent research has progressed on the subject and future possible directions on the topic.
Effect of Fins spacing on the Performance Evaluation of a Refrigeration System using LPG as Refrigerant
Authors: Banjo S.O. , Fayomi O.S.I. , Atayero A.A.A. , Bolaji B.O. , Dirisu J.O. , Okeniyi J. , Emetere M.E. , Olorunfemi B. J , Owoeye T.
Published: March 2021

In this paper, experimental analysis was carried out on a vapour compression system by varying the parallel tube condenser fins spacing under the same atmospheric condition in a selected Refrigeration and Air-conditioning laboratory to examine the performance characteristics of the refrigeration system. The fins spacing were 2, 4 and 6 mm using Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) as working fluid with a mixture proportion of 17.2% isobutene, 56.4% butane, 24.4% propane. The result shows that the coefficient of performance of the system when working with condenser fins spacing of 2 mm was 28.8 and 35.9% higher compared to when the system worked with the fins spacing of 4 and 6 mm respectively. Energy consumed by the single hermetic compressor when the system worked with condenser fins spacing of 2 mm reduced by 16.4 and 18.7% compared to when the refrigerator worked with fins spacing of 4 and 6 mm respectively. The pull down time of the cooling system was attained in 2 hours 45 minute with minimum evaporator temperature of -13 °C while working with 30 g mass charge of LPG.
Assessment of Residential Satisfaction for Sustainability in Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) Housing Estates in Lagos State, Nigeria
Authors: Jegede Foluke Oladunni , Adewale Bukola Adejoke , Jesutofunmi Akintade Akinloluwa , Loved King Signs
Published: March 2021

Approaches towards public housing has been noted as Government-sponsored over time, the government have been accorded the responsibility of provision of safe, secure, sanitary, accessible and affordable housing for its citizens, both for low, medium and high incomes. Also in the fulfilment of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Goal 11; which seeks to make towns, cities and settlements an inclusive habitation that is safe, resilient and sustainable for all categories of people by the year 2030. However, due to various limiting factors, the government have run short of meeting this expectation and in order to bridge this gap, it has brought about the Private-Public Partnership (PPP) schemes to meeting mass housing provision. However, the success of Public-Private Partnership is dependent on certain socio-economic variations. This study assessed the residential satisfaction amongst residents of selected two public-private partnership housing estates in Lagos State, Nigeria. With a view to understanding the performance of the estates in meeting residents housing needs. This is done by identify the socio-economic and demographic characteristics of residents, examining the physical characteristics of housing units in the PPP housing estates and identifying the factors that influence occupants’ satisfaction with the PPP housing estates. The data were analysed using descriptive statistics and categorical regression analysis. The result showed that the housing situations are generally satisfactory to the residents. The residents were mostly satisfied with their housing unit features, followed by their neighborhood environment and least satisfied with the maintenance practices. The study revealed that the residents socio-economic characteristic and demographic is the most significantly predictor to the residents level of satisfaction. The study concluded that satisfaction derived by residents of the PPP housing estates studied can be improved by provision of better housing maintenance practices and effective infrastructures and services.
Design and fabrication of cylindrical ceramic crucible as insulator for energy storage systems
Authors: Ndubuisi A O , Ogunrinola I E , Aizebeokhai A P , Sanni S E , Boyo H O
Published: March 2021

The ubiquitous demand for thermal energy in domestic and industrial applications, necessitates the need that heating systems, are effectively insulated, portable and occupy less space. This research focuses on the design and fabrication of a portable crucible for insulating a thermal energy storage system operating at high temperature. The insulating properties of the crucible were also investigated. Two ceramic crucibles, comprising of kaolin, and a mixture of kaolin and sand, were fabricated using the parameters obtained from simulation. When subjected to thermal treatment, the crucible comprising of kaolin and sand structurally failed at 75 °C. However, the crucible comprising of only kaolin remained stable and attained steady state at a temperature of 200 °C. The heating and cooling temperature curves of the kaolin crucibles were plotted and the estimated thermal conductivity of the kaolin crucible was 0.09 W/mK at 200 °C; this is in good agreement with theoretical values of kaolin which range from 0.03 to 0.3 W/mK. The computed thermal diffusivity is 4.9x10-8 m2/s, which is much lower when compared with the thermal diffusivity of insulating materials like polystyrene, glass fibre and rock wool. Thus, the rate at which heat diffuses through the crucible is low, making it suitable for insulating a thermal energy storage material operating at 800 °C. The results of this study will facilitate an efficient way of transporting stored thermal energy in portable insulating containers.
The Effect of Dye Extract Purification on the Performance of Dye Sensitized Solar Cells
Authors: Boyo A.O. , Oseni O. S. , Ibrahim O. A. , Kesinro R. O. , Akingbade F. S. , Oladepo A. M. , Okafor P.
Published: March 2021

Anthocynanins and anthocyanidins have been widely applied in various fields such as sensitizers in dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). DSSCs provide an alternative to the present photovoltaic technology due to its numerous advantages such as flexibility, easy fabrication, semitransparency and colour tunability. In this study, comparative analysis between crude and purified extracts obtained from withered leaves and flowers of Euphorbia mili (crown of thorns) as organic sensitisers in DSSCs. The optical and photovoltaic properties of the extracts was examined using an ultraviolet (UV) spectroscope and solar simulator respectively. There were observed shifts in the wavelength of the absorptions at (350 – 380 nm) for both extracts (crude and purified). The results from the photovoltaic parameters indicate an improved power conversion efficiency (PCE) for the crude extract of the flower at 2.72%.
Eco-mobility Approach for a Sustainable Neighbourhood Road Infrastructure within a Mixed-use Community: The Searchlight on Festac Town, Amuwo Odofin, Lagos
Authors: Adesina John A. , Nnezi Uduma-Olugu , Adebamowo Mike
Published: March 2021

In major cities in Nigeria, the current modes of transportation are generally chaotic and unsustainable. We therefore have to rethink how to adopt the seamless integration of sustainable transportation alternatives. Poor maintenance is one of the factors adduced to be responsible for the current deteriorated state of mobility corridors and the existing road infrastructure. Overpopulation and increasing socio-economic activities of Festac Town exerts undue pressure on the infrastructure, thereby accelerating deterioration. The study is underpinned by Eco-mobility principles. This study is aimed at assessing the eco-mobility approach for a sustainable neighbourhood road infrastructure within a mixed-use community. Developing a sustainable mobility strategies that brings the neighborhood streets back to the people is an objective which this study pursue. A multi-staged sampling technique was adopted for the study. On-site qualitative approach was majorly employed through the interviews conducted assessing the major mobility corridors and streets from 1st to 7th avenues. A sample frame of 15 major roads with outdoor open spaces along the selected roads all within the selected avenues and major street roads. The instruments for data collection were oral interviews and personal/physical observations. The activity profiles, locational data and geospatial coordinates of each avenue were imported into ArcGIS (Version 10.5, ESRI) for various land-use analysis. The sustainable eco-mobility strategies will reduce transportation impacts, create civilized streets that meets environmental design standards of commuter’s safety and comfort that are compatible with the unique urban structure and culture of metropolitan Lagos. This study evaluated the issues relating to sustainable eco-mobility, the connection between climate change and transportation systems, the impact of urban mobility on public health and wellbeing. It further outlined policy frameworks to be considered in other to have a sustainable neighbourhood streets mobility networks within a mixed-use community.
Biofuel; A Sustainable Renewable Source Of Energy-A Review
Authors: Afolalu Sunday A. , Yusuf Olabisi Omolola , Abioye Abiodun A. , Emetere Moses E. , Ongbali Samson O. , Samuel Olusegun D.
Published: March 2021

The improvisation of renewable energy sources is of global concern as there is foresight in the depletion of fossil fuels. This is because there is dependence on energy fuel consumers over time and the detriment on the biotic and abiotic component of the environment is alarming. The need for an alternate source of energy source is imperative. Several options have been considered by the scientific community, especially biofuels which hinges primarily on the type of biomass. Agro waste is most considered because of its abundance but it is competed for as feeding purposes in humans and animals. However, Lignocellulose is being utilized recently. The preliminary step in the conversion of the lignocellulose (pre-treatment) stage is the most challenging which is presented in three major methods; physical, chemical, and biological treatment. This review assessed its sustainability and the limitations of each of these methods. The biological pre-treatment poses to be a cost-effective method with a low yield of products. These shortcomings could however be managed by redesigning the procedure to include a partial chemical pre-treatment, optimization of the process parameters such as pressure, temperature, and genetic manipulation of microorganisms of choice.
Misery and Economic Growth Nexus in Nigeria; Implications for Electrical Energy Management
Authors: Ubah J I , Bowale E K , Ejemeyovwi J O , Jacobs I , Adeleye N , Ihayere O
Published: March 2021

At first glance, misery seems unquantifiable but has been established to be an aggregation of unemployment and inflation. Nigeria is in a pitiable condition as she is ranked the 6th most miserable country in the world. This study aims to ascertain the effect of economic growth on Misery in Nigeria, that is, to determine whether economic growth rate has strengthened or weakened the misery of Nigerians. This study adopts Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) model because it considers policy lags of economic phenomena and allows combined order of integrations. The study finds an inverse nexus between economic growth and misery. Hence, recommendations were made in form of measures to ensure the need for economic growth to increase at faster and higher pace to combat high misery levels in Nigeria.