London School of Economics and Political Science - Configuring Light Research Group and Care Policy and Evaluation Centre

The London School of Economics and Political Science has two research initiatives involved in ENLIGHTENme, the Configuring Light research group and the Care Policy and Evaluation Centre.

The Configuring Light research group

The Configuring Light (CL) research group, located in the LSE Sociology and Cities Programme, is the only research centre in the world exclusively focused on social studies of light and lighting, and on developing methodologies to integrate social research and lighting design. Founded in 2012, CL has carried out nine large-scale projects on urban lighting, plus two interdisciplinary seminar series and an international programme (‘Social Lightscapes’) of training workshops in social research for urban design professionals. CL projects have all been collaborations with major lighting designers, municipalities or developers and have impacted both policy and planning.

The Care Policy and Evaluation Centre (CPEC)

Located in the Department of Health Policy at the LSE, the CPEC is an international research centre working mainly in the areas of long-term care (social care), mental health, developmental disabilities and other health issues. Since 2009, we have been awarded over 130 new research grants, of over £67 million, and have been involved in a number of key policy and practice developments. Until June 2019 we were known as the Personal Social Services Research Unit (PSSRU) at the LSE.

Our mission is to conduct high quality research on social and health care to inform and influence policy, practice and theory. Our research spans the whole life-course - from pregnancy to end-of-life care and bereavement. CPEC research has contributed in many ways to the development of national and local policies and frontline practice in the UK and internationally. CPEC has three affiliated research groups: the NIHR Policy Research Unit in Adult Social Care (ASCRU), the NIHR School for Social Care Research (NIHR SSCR) and the International Long-term Care Policy Network (ILPN). We have a substantial number of links with other universities, policy-makers, research funding bodies, international groups and organisations, and academics. Many of these links have been developed through specific research projects and initiatives. These include the recently completed EU funded CEQUA project, on cost effectiveness and quality in long term care which was led from CPEC.

Role of the institution within ENLIGHTENme

The Configuring Light research group is leading development of a global review of lighting literature and lighting best practices in relation to age and wellbeing. It is leading work package 2, responsible for establishing urban lighting labs in three cities, conducting qualitative social research and co-design workshops leading to co-design of lighting installations that will be implemented for a year in each ENLIGHTENme city. This will be followed by post-implementation research.

The Care Policy and Evaluation Centre contributes expertise in health economics and policy analysis and lead the cost-effectiveness evaluation of the indoor and outdoor interventions (work package 3).