The ENLIGHTENme consortium convenes for its annual progress meeting in Bologna, Italy

Hosted by the University of Bologna and project partner NERI, the annual ENLIGHTENme project meeting, that took place on the 7th and 8th of June 2023, was a great success. In the stunning settings of the university with its frescoed interiors and the NERI Foundation, which also hosts the Italian museum of cast iron, the consortium members used the opportunity to provide updates on the different work areas and their progress. Lively discussions accompanied the presentations and the scene was set for the tasks lying ahead. Those unable to attend the meeting in person were warmly welcomed to participate virtually.

One of the many highlights of the meeting was an evening site visit to Piazza Lambrakis. The square is part of the Bolognian neighbourhood Due Madonne, a historical public housing settlement. As popular community space, it was chosen as one of the research sites, alongside sites in Tartu, Estonia, and Amsterdam, The Netherlands, to implement pilot interventions on indoor and outdoor lighting. On that evening, local residents and the project team came together to celebrate a first milestone. The lighting design team of the Configuring Light research group of the London School of Economics and Political Science and NERI proudly presented the first set of newly installed lights surrounding the square which are part of the new lighting scheme co-designed with the local community. The smart lighting system ensures less stray light into the neighbouring homes and can be adjusted according to the times of day and seasons. Over the next year different lighting scenarios will be tested for their effects on the health and wellbeing of the local residents.

Also still ongoing as part of the research activities is the ENLIGHTENme study which aims to establish how indoor lighting affects the health and wellbeing of older citizens, particularly the circadian entrainment in older people. Here it was highlighted how unique the work is in terms of process but also scope. It will be the largest international study of its kind.

The project team will now return to their tasks with a renewed focus and looks forward to moving towards first results until meeting again in person in October 2024.

Thank you to the team of the University of Bologna who organised the entire meeting and to NERI who hosted participants on the first day at its headquarters in Longiano, about 90km south-east from Bologna.

The ENLIGHTENme consortium at the University of Bologna

Residents and the project team at Piazza Lambrakis for the new lighting installation

The Italian museum of cast iron hosted by NERI in Longiano