This week, on 17 and 18 February, a team of European experts from Esri, the world’s leading Geographic Information Systems (GIS) software developer, paid a two-day visit to Riga. The aim of the visit was to learn about the experience of the Riga Municipality in developing 3D data services, to share knowledge and demonstrate the latest tools for using 3D data in urban planning, urban management and emergency management, as well as to discuss further cooperation in improving and developing municipal data services.
Last year, the Riga Municipality’s geospatial data portal GEO RIGA (georiga.lv) received Esri’s recognition for special achievements in the field of GIS — one of the highest awards in the sector worldwide. To assess the progress made by the Riga Municipality in the use of 3D data, Esri experts visited Latvia to discuss Riga’s digital transformation experience and the city’s spatial data needs with Jānis Lange, Executive Director of the City of Riga, Edgars Bergholcs, Chairman of the Riga City Council Urban Development Committee, and the municipality’s specialists.
“Riga City Council aims to build a modern, data-driven and sustainable city governance. The cooperation with Esri’s European experts shows that Riga is already an internationally recognised example in the use of 3D data and geospatial solutions. It is important for us not only to hold a high quality bar, but also to continuously develop digital services to make decision-making even more accurate, faster and transparent. 3D data provides essential support for urban planning, infrastructure development and crisis management, improving both the efficiency of the municipality and the quality of life of citizens. I am convinced that further cooperation will allow Riga to strengthen its leading position in digital transformation at the European level,” said Jānis Lange, Jānis Lange, Executive Director of the City of Riga.
During the meeting, Edgars Bergholcs, Chairman of the Riga City Council Urban Development Committee, noted that the introduction of artificial intelligence in the municipality’s work processes and the use of digital twins in urban planning, mobility and civil protection is a priority for the city in the future: “Artificial intelligence and 3D technologies are no longer a pilot project in the Riga Municipality — they are everyday working tools. The city needs to keep abreast of trends and challenges in infrastructure, IT solutions and data acquisition technologies, so it is gratifying that Riga is becoming a model for others in the use of 3D data and that we have high-level specialists to ensure that the city makes quick and high-quality decisions,” notes E.Bergholcs.
The meeting also discussed future cooperation opportunities, including the implementation of joint pilot projects within the framework of European Union initiatives to promote the development and implementation of innovative solutions that would enable the Riga Municipality to achieve the city’s digital transformation goals more effectively.
During the technical sessions, Esri experts presented the latest ArcGIS Reality solutions to the municipality’s specialists: how to use geospatial data and software features for urban planning, infrastructure visualisation, public engagement and civil protection. At the same time, the specialists practically learnt the possibilities of digital products and 3D data developed by the Riga Municipality: data visualisation, mapping, storage, sharing and optimisation. The knowledge and skills of the municipality’s specialists to make full use of the available technologies play an important role in achieving a successful outcome, so such training and exchange of experience is of great benefit to the Riga Municipality as a whole.
Information was prepared by Tatjana Smirnova, Project Coordinator of the External Communication Division of the Communication Department of the Riga City Council, e-mail: tsmirnova11@riga.lv
