A major, albeit underestimated, by-product of urbanization is the exponential increase of human exposure to artificial light. Outdoor illumination, artificial sky glow, domestic lighting, light-emitting screens, etc. entrain circadian clock. Despite scientific evidence on the pathogenic role of circadian rhythms disruption in predisposing to NCDs, affecting sleep, metabolism, immune function and many aspects of behavior and mood, EU cities are mostly focusing on improving lighting services’ efficiency, reducing costs and emissions, but failing to consider lighting impacts on health and wellbeing. Through an open-online Urban Lighting and Health Atlas, ENLIGHTENme will collect and systematize existing data and good practices on urban lighting and will perform an accurate study on the correlations among health, wellbeing, lighting and socio-economic factors in 3 pilot cities -Amsterdam, Bologna and Tartu, where a target district will be selected due to its exposure to artificial light and to reflect social inequalities. Through the establishment of Lighting Urban Labs within the district, citizens and stakeholders will co-create innovative Lighting Urban Plans measures and define the implementation of a smart outdoor lighting system and indoor lighting changes in a pilot area within the district. There, a population-based study on elderly – addressed as a vulnerable group particularly prone to suffer circadian misalignment – will allow to assess lighting-dependent risks on mental and health conditions and surveys involving the overall district population and users will allow assess the impacts of urban lighting on quality of life and wellbeing. The results will allow to develop a dedicated Decision Support System and guidelines and recommendation on the impact of lighting on health and wellbeing, proposing innovative lighting policies, measures, technologies and interventions aiming at improving citizens’ health and wellbeing in cities. ENLIGHTENme is a part of the European Cluster on Urban Health.

The Art of Darkness as Cultural Heritage of Urban Landscape (Art of Darkness) project aims to preserve and develop cultural heritage sites throughout Europe with a better understanding of the cultural, aesthetic, and sustainability values of darkness, which are important to the well-being of humans and nature. The project raises awareness of and explores well-considered darkness with high-quality architectural lighting design and light art as an asset in relation to cultural heritage, which can be cherished and harnessed to boost cultural-led innovation and attract strategic investments to cultural heritage and Cultural and Creative Industries (CCI). This is achieved through creating a Europe-wide collaborative network of 3 cities, 5 research institutions and 2 societies, which conduct 5 artistic pilot trials in cultural heritage sites in 5 countries. The pilot trials develop design strategies and solutions for more sustainable, aesthetic and socially feasible dark-time experiences through co-design with local stakeholders. The piloting process, which consists of context mapping, co-design, pilot production and evaluation processes, brings together researchers, CCIs professionals (e.g. artists, lighting designers, architects), citizens, local societies, and municipality actors. Thus, methodology of the project is transdisciplinary, participatory and integrative: The disciplines included in the project consortium are architecture, light-art, cultural heritage, urban design and planning, lighting design, photometrics, engineering, media- and neurotechnology, environmental psychology, cultural anthropology, scenography, and performing arts. Importantly, the evaluated results are integrated into the Art of Darkness Piloting Model to be replicated in other cities and regions and translated into roadmaps and policy briefs for further impact. All values and working principles of the NEB Compass are implemented in the project work with the highest ambition level.