It is with great sadness that we report that our colleague Professor Elizabeth Burton has died after a long illness. Professor Burton was Professor of Sustainable Building Design and Wellbeing, and she held a joint appointment with and the School of Engineering and Warwick Medical School .

Elizabeth, known as ‘Libby’, joined Warwick five years ago. She started her career as an architect and urban designer, but became more interested in how the built environment influenced people’s wellbeing, quality of life and mental health. Her research career focused in particular on the field of ageing, including dementia-friendly design, and she also devised tools and methods to measure the effect of the built environment.

University of Warwick Vice-Chancellor, Professor Nigel Thrift said:

Libby faced her illness with tremendous courage and she will be greatly missed by all who knew her. Her passion for her work inspired her colleagues and she made a huge contribution to the field of wellbeing and the built environment. Our thoughts are with her family at this sad time.”

Despite her illness, Libby carried on working and, earlier this year, she organised the Space for Thought International Symposium on Design for Wellbeing in the Built Environment. As part of this event, she recorded a seminar, which you can watch below, that explored her professional and personal journey. She talks about her own pursuit of happiness and her twin passions for the built environment and a desire to make a difference to people’s lives.