Dementia-friendly innovation at centre of ambitious new initiative
London South Bank University (LSBU) is at the forefront of the groundbreaking BRIDGES for Dementia Network, a £1.97 million project funded by the UKRI Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).
As one of only four UK-wide initiatives awarded a share of the £6 million investment, BRIDGES aims to co-design adaptive technologies that empower individuals living with dementia to live independently and thrive in their communities.
LSBU’s is co-leading the Indoor and Outdoor Spaces strand of the network, combining its expertise in sustainable built environments with University College London (UCL)’s work in geoinformatics.
Hua Zhong, Associate Professor and a Chartered Engineer, is leading LSBU’s contributions. An advocate for inclusive design, her work focuses on optimising indoor environments to address critical challenges like navigation, thermal comfort, lighting, and air quality. These are all key factors to enhance the independence of individuals living with dementia.
People with lived experience of dementia are at the heart of this work. Hua is collaborating directly with diverse dementia communities – including underrepresented ethnic groups and socio-economically disadvantaged populations – to ensure technologies and spaces are accessible, culturally sensitive, and tailored to evolving needs.
This work is a further example of LSBU’s commitment to social impact. It currently ranks third in the world in the prestigious Times Higher Education Impact rankings for reducing inequalities.
LSBU’s work will focus on:
- Smart, sustainable design: Integrating dementia-friendly layouts, sensor technologies, and energy-efficient systems into homes and care facilities. This includes prototyping navigation apps that use AI to guide users through complex indoor spaces like supermarkets.
- Multi-sensory environments: Partnering with acoustics experts to reduce auditory confusion and with building designers to optimise natural light and ventilation.
- Policy impact: Shaping national standards to prioritise dementia-friendly design in future infrastructure.
More holistically, music therapy and virtual therapy will integrate into home environments to stimulate cognitive engagement, and voice-activated systems to help individuals maintain social connections and manage daily tasks.
Hua, who is also a Fellow of the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE), said: “This project embodies LSBU’s dedication to research that transforms lives. By merging sustainable engineering with lived experience, we’re not just designing spaces – we’re creating communities where people with dementia can live with dignity, autonomy and joy.”