Commitment 09Read more
Health and Quality of Life
Creating Good Living Conditions: A Priority for Port Cities
Promoting and supporting the development of greener port facilities.
How can the port’s environmental impacts be assessed and reduced?
Port and industrial activities are one of the main sources of air pollution in port cities. For this reason, it is important to reconcile port functions and environmental concerns to improve air quality. Architects can use innovative designs to reduce this pollution and transform environmental restrictions into sources of inspiration. Another effective solution involves combining the use of groundbreaking technologies and cooperation with stakeholders. An example of an architectural solution was designed at the Riga port, a windbreak in association with monitoring devices, which helps to reduce coal pollution.
In 2012, the Freeport of Riga Authority started moving port facilities away from the city centre. As part of the movement, the coal facilities were relocated to a new terminal on Krievu Island. Various measures were taken to prevent coal dust from being dispersed into the air and minimise the environmental impact on the neighbouring districts of Krievu. First, all wagon unloading takes place inside a closed room and is poured into underground reservoirs with the help of specialised machines. Then, when the coal needs to be transferred, a closed conveyor line is in place to feed the ship or storage areas. Finally, the coal storage areas are continuously sprayed using special snow cannons in winter or with water sprinklers during warmer periods.
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