ENLIGHTENme

A major, albeit underestimated, by-product of urbanization is the exponential increase of human exposure to artificial light. Despite scientific evidence on the pathogenic role of circadian rhythm disruption on things, such as sleep, metabolism and immune function, EU cities are mostly failing to consider lighting impacts on health and wellbeing.

Through an open, online “Urban Lighting and Health Atlas”, ENLIGHTENme will collect and systematise existing data and good practices on urban lighting and will perform an accurate study on the correlations between health, wellbeing, lighting and socio-economic factors. To this end, the project will conduct three in-depth studies in selected districts of Bologna (Italy), Amsterdam (The Netherlands) and Tartu (Estonia). By establishing an “Urban Lighting Lab” in each target district of the three cities, the ENLIGHTENme team aims to identify the widest range of relevant stakeholders including citizens and city officials to engage and educate them in lighting and health issues, and involve them in co-designing and assessing lighting innovations.