Proposal for a tool for analyzing the physical state and functionality of municipal built heritage for sustainable and proactive management of local infrastructure

Summary: Municipalities' built heritage constitutes a strategic lever for the provision of basic public services. However, in many communities, its maintenance remains insufficiently structured, due to a lack of tools adapted to assessing its actual condition. This article proposes a simplified but robust analysis grid, focused on two essential dimensions: physical condition and functionality. The tool was designed to enable municipalities to detect deterioration, anticipate interventions, and prioritize corrective actions. It integrates an alert mechanism based on a rating system that classifies buildings into four critical levels. Finally, this research draws on the case of the municipality of Nikki in northeastern Benin and proposes a model transferable to other contexts in sub-Saharan Africa.