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What is GEO RIGA?

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GEO RIGA is a centralised publishing platform of geospatial data maintained in municipal structural units created by the Riga City Municipality. GEO RIGA serves the municipality to initiate a dialogue – data exchange with society, providing access to geospatial data about the administrative territory of Riga City to various societal groups, including residents, neighbourhood activists, investors and entrepreneurs, innovation creators and researchers, other state and municipality institutions.

What is the purpose?

The purpose of GEO RIGA is to give an easy and simple access to the geospatial data held by the municipality – to view, combine and use the data for own needs. The availability of data that reflect the current situation in the city increases the transparency of the municipality work and allows the user receive data services easily and conveniently, supporting social and economic initiatives. In the GEO RIGA thematic maps, it is possible to view the basic data of Riga in various combinations, including cadastral and address information, graphic parts of Riga territorial plans, information on the immovable property of the municipality and its companies, waste management in Riga and other data.

What the benefits are?

GEO RIGA provides remote and convenient access to the geospatial information held by the municipality, allows to combine various geospatial information available on the portal without using intermediaries – licensed software or paid services, reduces the need for individuals to turn to institutions for information and advice, gradually, it will ensure effective communication and feedback, for example, for public consultation, survey, and similar cases, supporting the society’s desire to be informed and participate in the city’s development processes.

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Riga’s Digital Renaissance: Embracing the IoT Wave

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Nestled on the Baltic Sea’s coastlines, Riga, the Latvian capital, has long been celebrated for its Gothic spires, art nouveau architecture, and rich history. Today, it’s adding another feather to its cap: becoming a Smart City. Riga’s transformation is an emblem of how Internet of Things (IoT) can rejuvenate cities with digital threads, rendering them smarter, more efficient, and attuned to the needs of their citizens.

The Smart Riga initiative is weaving a dense mesh of IoT devices across the cityscape. Traffic lights now communicate with vehicles, optimizing the flow of traffic and reducing congestion. Waste bins equipped with sensors notify collection trucks when they’re full, ensuring timely pickups and optimizing routes. Even the ancient streets of Riga are now embedded with sensors that help monitor and manage crowd density during peak tourist seasons.

Residents and tourists alike benefit from smart lampposts which not only illuminate streets but also double as Wi-Fi hotspots and charging stations. These pillars of light are now becoming hubs of digital interaction. Meanwhile, Riga’s public parks are using IoT for precision irrigation, conserving water while ensuring lush landscapes.

Yet, it’s not just about efficiency. By harnessing the power of data, Riga’s administrators gain insights into urban patterns, enabling them to make proactive decisions that benefit both the environment and the populace. This fusion of history with technology makes Riga a compelling case study of how tradition and innovation can coexist harmoniously.

The digital renaissance of Riga shows that with the right vision, even cities steeped in history can leapfrog into the future, setting a precedent for urban metamorphosis worldwide.

Smart Riga Unveils New Smart Street Lights in Collaboration with TET

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*RIGA* — The city of Riga, known for its commitment to incorporating modern technological solutions into its urban infrastructure, has announced a pioneering collaboration with TET, a leading telecommunications and technology service provider. The partnership aims to transform the cityscape with the installation of smart street lights that are designed to improve energy efficiency, enhance public safety, and offer a host of other innovative features.

The new smart street lights are set to replace thousands of traditional luminaires in Riga over the next two years, reflecting the city’s dedication to sustainable urban development and its push towards becoming a recognized smart city in Europe. These new fixtures will not only provide essential illumination but will also serve multiple functions that are expected to revolutionize the way residents experience nighttime in Riga.

Key features of these smart street lights include:

1. **Energy Efficiency:** The LED technology employed ensures a significant reduction in power consumption compared to conventional street lights. This initiative is expected to reduce the city’s energy costs by up to 60%, aligning with Riga’s commitment to environmental sustainability and reduced carbon footprints.

2. **Adaptive Lighting:** Sensors embedded within the lights will detect human and vehicular movement, adjusting the intensity of the light accordingly. This feature not only conserves energy but also ensures that areas remain well-lit when needed, promoting safety.

3. **Integrated Communication Hub:** The lights will also serve as communication hubs. In partnership with TET, they will be equipped with Wi-Fi capabilities, turning various spots around the city into connectivity hotspots. This initiative will further bridge the digital divide, offering residents and tourists seamless internet connectivity.

4. **Data Collection and Analysis:** With inbuilt sensors, the smart lights can gather data about traffic patterns, weather conditions, and more. This data, when analyzed, will offer insights into improving urban planning and traffic management.

5. **Emergency Response Integration:** In the case of emergencies, the lights can be manipulated to flash or change colors, guiding first responders or indicating areas of concern. This function is expected to bolster public safety efforts and improve emergency response times.

Ivars Brikmanis, the city’s Mayor, expressed his enthusiasm about the collaboration: “Working with TET, a homegrown innovation leader, we are redefining the role of street lights in urban landscapes. Our aim is not just to illuminate Riga, but to make it smarter, safer, and more connected.”

On the other hand, Līga Rozenberga, CEO of TET, highlighted the company’s commitment to enhancing the urban experience in Riga. “This project is a testament to TET’s commitment to leveraging technology for public benefit. Together with the city of Riga, we are setting a benchmark for what modern cities can achieve with smart technology.”

As the pilot phase rolls out, both parties have assured residents that the transition will be smooth. Initial feedback from areas where the lights have been installed has been overwhelmingly positive, with residents appreciating the adaptive lighting feature and the enhanced connectivity.

In the broader context of global urban development, this partnership is a testament to how cities can harness technology to improve the quality of life for their residents. As Riga continues on its journey to becoming a beacon of smart urban development in Europe, other cities are sure to take note and follow suit.

Smart lights in Ķīpsala have helped the municipality save more than 4600 euros

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In 2022, thanks to the introduction of smart lighting in three streets of Ķīpsala, the Riga municipality managed to save 4685.44 euros, resulting in a 79% reduction in electricity costs compared to the previous year. The project was implemented by Tet in collaboration with Riga City Council, the municipal agency “Rīgas gaisma,” Riga Technical University, and the subsidiary of Draugiem Group, Idea Lights. The smart lighting system, which consists of low-consumption LED lights, Latvian-made smart controllers, and motion sensors, was installed in 66 lamp posts on Āzenes, Ķīpsalas, and Zunda coastline.

The Chairman of Tet’s board, Uldis Tatarčuks, mentioned that the Smart Cities initiative is one of Tet’s innovative projects, aiming not only to improve the environment, energy efficiency, and test technologies in real-life scenarios but also to demonstrate immediate financial results. The pilot project in Ķīpsala has proven to be successful, with significant savings achieved for the municipality. Before implementing the smart solution, the monthly cost per lamp post was around 17 euros during autumn and winter. However, with the dimming option introduced in the smart lighting, the cost reduced to just 3.30 euros per post.

Armands Jukums from Riga City Council’s City Development Department expressed high appreciation for the collaboration with Tet and emphasized the city’s goal to promote innovative technology testing in smart city pilot areas to provide more convenient municipal services for residents and stimulate rapid economic growth. The city remains open to future initiatives from Tet and other companies in the field of smart technology to address urban challenges and achieve climate targets, aspiring to become one of the first 100 climate-neutral cities in Europe.

Tet plans to increase the dimming range to maximize energy savings in the future. Currently, the light intensity amplitude is set at 100% during motion and 70% during still periods. However, Tet aims to test intensity reduction down to 20% during idle times, significantly reducing energy consumption and cost.

In addition to the smart lighting, a Tet environmental and air sensor station has been operational in Ķīpsala for two months. It provides data on air quality, temperature, humidity, noise, wind strength, and UV radiation levels. So far, the sensor data has met the requirements of the European Air Quality Index, and comparisons have been made with data from Riga City Council and Latvia’s Environmental, Geological, and Meteorological Center. Moreover, data from motion sensors in the smart lighting system also provide traffic intensity information, allowing observations on the correlation between air quality and traffic intensity, although other factors may also influence air quality.

Tet will continue to collect and compare this data with traffic intensity and data from artificial intelligence cameras installed earlier in the year. To ensure data quality, a new sensor station will be installed near the national air monitoring station in central Riga. These stations and data will be vital in assessing the quality of the surrounding environment, making improvements, and measuring their effectiveness in the journey towards climate neutrality.