City Of Daugavpils Research Articles

Evaluating Reduction in Thermal Energy Consumption across Renovated Buildings in Latvia and Lithuania

Currently, the optimization of thermal energy consumption in buildings is considered a suitable alternative in the construction of new buildings, as a result of which the overall energy efficiency of the building increases. Thus, this study examined the efficiency and efficacy of different building renovation packages conducted across several buildings in Latvia and in Lithuania (across a larger building stock). In the first section of this study, 13 multi-apartment residential houses with 3 building renovation packages have been investigated in the city of Daugavpils, Latvia, in order to determine the actual reduction in heat energy consumption across each of the renovation implementation packages. The study findings indicate that changes in Latvian building regulations regarding insulation thickness did not significantly impact thermal energy consumption in fully renovated buildings. However, the combination of facade renovations, upgraded heating systems, and improved ventilation systems resulted in substantial energy savings, with an average reduction of 50.59% in thermal energy consumption for space heating across the reviewed multi-apartment residential building stock. In the following section of this study, the impact of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) on building energy efficiency in Lithuania has been examined. The results show that over a 10-year period in the 2000s, Lithuanian building stock experienced a 20% increase in energy efficiency, followed by an additional 6.3% increase between 2010 and 2016. The mandatory requirement for renovated buildings to achieve a minimum energy efficiency class has resulted in significant reductions in energy consumption for heating purposes. The findings underscore the effectiveness of building renovation packages and the EPBD regulations in enhancing energy efficiency and promoting sustainable building practices. The importance of heat metering, consideration of indoor air temperature, and the need to address indoor air quality during renovations were also highlighted.

Mapping forest ecosystem service supply in two case studies in Latvia

Forest ecosystems provide a wide range of goods and benefits for human survival and well-being. This includes materials, food and fiber and other goods and benefits. Ecosystem services (ES) paradigm is increasingly used in socio-ecological studies. ES generally include provisioning services, regulation & maintenance services and cultural services. Identifying and mapping areas important for ES supply in peri-urban forested landscapes is crucial for comprehensive spatial planning process which takes into account the needs and preferences of local inhabitants. This is in contrast to planning approaches which have focused on which have been focused on mapping and valuing ES supply but ignoring ES demand. The aim of this study was to identify and assess the benefits provided by peri-urban forest ecosystems in two case study regions in Latvia. For this study, we chose two case study areas in Latvia: the city of Daugavpils and its surrounding district. Daugavpils district is located in South-eastern part of Latvia and covers 1876.1 km2. Population in Daugavpils district is 19,553, city of Daugavpils – 80,627. We used 238 structured interviews to collect data on local inhabitants’ preferences and views. Interviewer asked to rank 21 types of forest landscapes using printed photographs of which were linked to particular ES. Later we mapped co-occurrences of desirable types of forest landscapes (selected by >20% of respondents) using 1 × 1 km grid and identified Hot- and Cold-spots of ES supply using Getis-Ord GI* analysis in ArcGIS Pro. We found that more than 70% of respondents, both urban and rural, saw thinned deciduous forest and middle-aged pine forest landscape as important for their well-being. Respondents also did not rank highly regulation & maintenace ES but focused on cultural and provisioning ES. Hot-spot analysis indicated multiple, statistically significant (α = 0.01) clusters of ES supply which were located in large tracts of mainly production forests and few in protected forest areas with significant restrictions. Overall, our approach demonstrated that our approach for identifying and mapping co-occurrences of desirable forest landscapes can be useful for spatial planning at local and regional levels. This approach is based on needs and preferences of local inhabitants and provide the perspective more relevant to local communities compared to imposed top-down planning approaches.

APPLICATION OF LOW-COST OPTICAL PM SENSOR FOR MONITORING OF PARTICULATE MATTER AIR POLLUTION IN THE URBAN ENVIRONMENT: A CASE STUDY IN ESPLANĀDE HOUSING ESTATE, DAUGAVPILS CITY

The harmful health effects of airborne particulate matter (PM) pollutants are well-known. However, the spatial coverage of automated air quality observation stations of Latvian Environment, Geology and Meteorology Centre (LEGMC) is sparse. Therefore the capability for PM concentration detection was examined by using the low-cost optical PM sensor to improve the spatial resolution of environmental data. The aim of the study was to perform 24h/7d measurements of PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations during a period of one year and to identify air quality in Esplanāde housing estate, Daugavpils city. For data obtaining on the concentration of PM2.5 and PM10 particles measurements have been performed by optical sensor Nova SDS011; meteorological data were obtained using the database of LEGMC; for processing, analysis and visualization of obtained data statistical methods were applied. Evaluation of PM2.5 and PM10 daily average concentration variability in 2020 indicates that air quality in the urban environment could be assessed as good. A well-expressed statistical correlation between meteorological factors (t°C, relative humidity) and the average concentration of PM particles was not found. It highlights the necessity of further research.

ANALYSIS OF COMMUNICATION OF LATGALE'S LARGEST MUNICIPALITIES ON THE INSTAGRAM NETWORK – A COMPARISON OF DAUGAVPILS CITY AND REZEKNE MUNICIPALITY

The topic of the paper is “Analysis of Communication of Latgale's Largest Municipalities on the Instagram Network – a Comparison of Daugavpils City and Rezekne Municipality”. The paper researches the communication of the largest city and municipality of Latgale region - Daugavpils and Rezekne - on the Instagram network in the period from registration.The aim of the paper is to find out how and for what purposes the municipalities of Daugavpils city and Rezekne use the social medium “Instagram” and what results the communication via this channel have been achieved.The paper consists of two parts - theoretical and empirical. The theoretical part summarizes and analyses theory on the history and development of the social network Instagram, as well as its impact on corporate communication of companies and institutions.The empirical part contains a comparative analysis of communication of Daugavpils city and Rezekne municipality on the Instagram network, analysing the posted information and feedback from network users. Content analysis is used as a research method to achieve the aim.

Implementation of Certified Energy ManagementSystem in Municipality. Case Study

Abstract The European Union has taken the course to become climate neutral by 2050. To reach that target significant changes in all sectors are necessary, resulting in increasing regulatory pressure on energy producers, consumers and other sectors. Increasing legal requirements was also one of the reasons why the city of Daugavpils (population of 82 000) took a decision to implement an Energy management system (EnMS). In the boundaries of EnMS Daugavpils included more than 100 public buildings, public transportation and public lighting. This research paper presents results of the EnMS implementation, main drivers and barriers that Daugavpils has faced and overcome in the implementation process, and also assesses the benefits the city of Daugavpils has gained from EnMS. The success rate of EnMS in such an organisation as a municipality is based on the awareness and knowledge of the municipality’s employees and support from the municipality leaders. The case study of Daugavpils shows energy savings of 12 % in the public building sector after implementing EnMS.

EXPLORING SPATIAL PATTERNS OF URBAN BROWNFIELDS: THE CASE OF DAUGAVPILS CITY

Deindustrialization has been an important process in transforming the urban regions in Central and Eastern Europe. In Daugavpils, there is a long history of industry dated back to the 19th century. The massive deindustrialization of the 1990s caused increased concentrations of brownfield localities within the city. Previous studies have demonstrated that the geographic location of urban brownfields is an important factor affecting brownfields regeneration. The aim of the current study is to explore the characteristics of the brownfield sites and their spatial patterns in the city of Daugavpils. The analysis is based on a data obtained during the fieldwork. The results presented in this paper depends on survey of 61 brownfield sites in Daugavpils. Majority of local brownfields are abandoned buildings previously used for industrial and commercial activities and unevenly distributed within the city. Higher number of brownfield regeneration have been detected in densely built-up areas close to the inner-city areas, while lower rates were found for areas with low population density at the periphery of the city. The findings also suggest that urban brownfield regeneration increases the attractiveness and livability of a particular locality.

New alien plant species recorded in the southern regions of Latvia / Pietiniuose Latvijos rajonuose aptiktos naujos svetimžemės augalų rūšys

Abstract Alien plants are one of the most dynamic and rapidly changing components of flora. Many intentionally introduced plants, which formerly were in cultivation only, now are increasingly found escaped and occur in anthropogenic or seminatural habitats. During field investigations in the southern districts of Latvia in 2014-2016, six new alien plant species were recorded: Allium nutans, Hylotelephium spectabile, Solidago ×niederederi, Symphyotrichum dumosum, S. lanceolatum and S. novae-angliae. To date, four species, Allium nutans, Hylotelephium spectabile, Symphyotrichum dumosum and S. novae-angliae, occur as casual aliens in Latvia. Solidago ×niederederi should be ascribed to the group of established species, whereas Symphyotrichum lanceolatum has naturalized and is potentially invasive. Notes on morphology and identification of species as well as characteristics of the recorded populations are discussed. A note on 20 other alien plant species recorded in wastelands, abandoned meadows and unused arable fields in the south-western part of Daugavpils city is also provided.

Energy Management System Implementation in Latvian Municipalities: From Theory to Practice

This research analyses opportunities and procedures how an energy management system can be implemented in municipalities. The goal of this research is to develop guidelines for energy management system (EnMS) implementation in municipalities according to standard EN ISO 50001:2011 “Energy management systems – Requirements with guidance for use (ISO 50001:2011” [1]. The work is based both on theoretical sources of information and on practical research. The most relevant data of municipalities were considered. Objectives of this work are literature analysis, assessment of the current situation in municipality energy consumption, develop the procedure for implementing EnMS in municipalities, develop guidelines for EnMS implementation and develop policy instrument to stimulate implementation of EnMS in city and regional municipalities in Latvia. This topic is topical at the moment as the goal of Latvia is to increase the renewable energy share of gross final energy consumption to 40% in year 2020, to reach 0.668 million tons of oil equivalent (Mtoe) of energy savings in year 2020 compared to forecasts of year 2007 and limit the country‘s total greenhouse gas emissions in year 2020 so that they do not exceed 12.19 Mtoe [2].Research showed that implementation of EnMS is an appropriate solution to ensure energy savings. Its implementation pays off already after the first year even in a small municipality with a population of around 6 000. In order to successfully implement EnMS in a municipality, it is necessary to receive support from political parties, involve staff from different departments, the administrative process must be minimized, as well as regular meetings and an information campaign are necessary.A credible indicator was obtained with close correlation by which it is possible to identify potential energy savings from EnMS implementation to municipalities that do not have developed sustainable energy action plans and that do not know their energy consumption. An EnMS implementation procedure was developed based on the data and structure of the municipality of the city of Daugavpils. The management, employee and other involved person responsibilities, as well as an EnMS implementation working group were established, and potential savings from EnMS implementation, work/data/cost flow and energy management funding scheme were estimated. This procedure can also be applied to other municipalities.Based upon the analyzed information and data, guidelines for EnMS in municipalities to facilitate implementation of the system were developed and offered the most appropriate policy instrument in the current situation to encourage municipalities to implement EnMS. This political instrument that is included in the draft law “Energy Efficiency Law” obliges 9 largest cities to implement and certify EnMS according to ISO 50001 standard by 1 July 2016, but the regional municipalities whose territories development level index on 31 December 2015 is greater than 0.5 and population is more than 10 000 on their municipality implement EnMS according to ISO 50001 standard by 1 July 2017. This obligation will give 5.92% or 586 gigawatt-hours (GWh) in the cumulative mandatory national energy savings target in the period from 2014 – 2020 and it will also encourage other municipalities to implement EnMS.

Analysis Of Invasive Flora In Cemetery Territories Of The City Of Daugavpils

Alien species are reaching different areas, including also cemeteries. Inventory of invasive flora of cemeteries of the city of Daugavpils actually is the first such type of work to such level of detail on the Latvian scale. Field studies were conducted in 10 cemeteries of the city of Daugavpils. The obtained results are indicative of a comparatively high proportion of invasive plant species in the cemeteries. 49 invasive alien species were found. In the cemetery areas these are spreading mainly from greeneries, but there are also such taxa, which have accidentally reached the cemeteries. The most frequent plant in the Daugavpils cemeteries is Spiraea chamaedryfolia. Taking into account the trends of migration, sex-age structure of population, climate change, availability of exotic and new ornamental plants, it is most likely that the number of invasive species will grow in the future.

Floodwater storage capacity of the Middle Daugava floodplain

<p>This study highlights the flood risk prevention services provided by the Middle Daugava river-floodplain system located downstream from Daugavpils City. Today, it acts as a principal storage area for floodwaters of the Daugava River during the spring floods, therefore diminishing the risk of flooding and related costs for urban municipalities like Jēkabpils and Pļaviņas located further downstream. Statistical analysis of hydrological data records of the Daugava River at Daugavpils and Jēkabpils during the top-10 flood events in 20<sup>th</sup> century are performed in order to quantify the largest daily discharge deficits between these two hydrological posts as well as to calculate the amount of floodwaters that could be intercepted by the entire floodplain area. The highest daily discharge deficit (2230 m<sup>3</sup> s<sup>-1</sup>) is used to calculate additional water level heights for Jēkabpils town if the floodplain did not intercept the floodwaters at all. Therefore, reduction of annual flood risk level provided by the existing river-floodplain system of the Middle Daugava River could be assessed from hydrological perspective as well as from the Ecosystem Services Concept point of view.</p>

Daugavpils musically dramatic theatre (1959-1962)

The history of Daugavpils Dramatic Theatre is one of the most original and peculiar theatre histories in Latvia. To begin discussing it, historians usually mention the Russian Theatre led by the colonel and the main engineer of Daugavpils Fortress Nikolaj Hagelstrom in 1850s. It was operating for several decades collaborating with tsarist Russian army troops staying at Daugavpils Fortress. During the times of Latvian independency from 1920s to 40s there was a successfully operating Daugavpils Latvian Theatre Company in the city. Russian audiences attended Latvian shows in great numbers and supported Russian amateur theatres which were very active in this period of time. After the Second World War, Daugavpils Latvian Theatre did not resume itself. The reasons for liquidating the Latvian Company in Daugavpils included the decrease of Latvian population, and the negative attitude of Latvian SSR Ministry of Culture and the council of Daugavpils regarding Latvian cultural activities in Latgale. This attitude changed a little in the late 1950s. It had become more favourable, which was wisely and diplomatically taken advantage of by Voldemars Kalpins – Latvian SSR deputy minister of culture at the time and the minister of culture and foreign affairs from 1959 to 1962. A popular viewpoint during those years was that creating a Latvian theatre in Daugavpils would not be just a creation of an art building, but would in fact serve a great purpose then and in the future – saving Latvian culture and identity in Latgale. This brings to a conclusion that the operation of Daugavpils Musically Dramatic Theatre (1959-1962) is closely connected to the socio-political situation in Latvia during 1950s and to the beginning of the national- communistic movement. The communist party of the time made a number of decisions about maintaining Latvian language and culture. Special attention was paid to recreating Latvian culture in Latgale. After the defeat of the national-communistic movement and the dismissal of many leading party members in early 1960s, the support for Latvianising Latgale diminished. After not receiving the needed support from neither the leading republic officials nor from the city of Daugavpils, the theatre was forced to close down. The aims of the study: to explore the Daugavpils Musically Dramatic Theatre activities since its creation in 1959 until its closure in 1962; to find out the socio-political situation in Latvia during the end of 1950s leading to the possible emergence of a new theatre in Latgale; get to know the theatre’s repertory policy, dramatic and musical troupes and their building principles as well as theatrical artistic explorations during 1950s/60s. The used methods: media analysis method and interview.

The role of railway lines in the distribution of alien plant species in the territory of Daugavpils City (Latvia)

The study was performed based on an inventory of alien flora in Daugavpils City. During the field studies all the alien species were recorded applying a regular grid consisting of 344 quadrats of 500 m × 500 m. Data of the 84 quadrats that cover all railway lines in the city were analysed to identify relationships between the distribution of alien plants and the location of railway lines. First the obtained data were compared with the first flora inventory in the city, which was conducted from 1975 to 1983. Comparison of data of the previous inventory and those obtained by us showed that the number of the recorded alien taxa along railways differed: 95 and 38 taxa, respectively. Secondly, some factors affecting the distribution of alien species along railway lines were analysed. Obtained results indicate that the highest concentrations of alien plants occurred in areas where railways are crossing or are located close to the adjacent cultivated and abandoned allotments, areas of private houses or cemeteries. Railway management measures such as topsoil disturbance and application of herbicides were found to be important human-induced factors affecting the distribution of annual alien taxa. The results of geospatial and statistical analyses demonstrated that the geo- graphical distribution of alien species in general did not coincide with railway lines. However, the distribution of three species, i.e. Dracocephalum thymiflorum, Erysimum durum, and Lappula squarrosa, was associated only with railway lines, demonstrating the importance of railway infrastructure elements for the expansion of these species.

Regression-based Daugava River Flood Forecasting and Monitoring

The paper discusses the application of linear and symbolic regression to forecast and monitor river floods. Main tasks of the research are to find an analytical model of river flow and to forecast it. The challenges are a small set of flow measurements and a small number of input factors. Genetic programming is used in the task of symbolic regression. To train the model, historical data of the Daugava River monitoring station near Daugavpils city are used. Several regression scenarios are discussed and compared. Models obtained by the methods discussed in the research show good results and applicability in predicting the river flow and forecasting of the floods.

Ecological and hydrological functions of the biggest natural floodplain in Latvia

The biggest natural floodplain in Latvia is located within the Daugava valley stretch from Daugavpils City down to Jersika, where the river cuts through the Baltic Morainic Ridge and in its further course flows across the Eastern Latvian lowland. The territory of the floodplain which is outlined by the highest spring flood level encompasses 208.25km2. This territory reduces the risk of severe flooding further downstream by accumulating a significant proportion of the Daugava maximal runoff, reducing the magnitude of the flood pulse by 3–4 meters. In addition, the floodplain accumulates a large amount of suspended and dissolved matter, which, in turn, stimulates productivity of floodplain meadows, wetlands and lakes. The NATURA 2000 site is also located in this floodplain.

Personal Value Patterns of Managers in Latvia: Value Diversity Within Subcultures Facing Change

This study examined the personal value systems of 200 Russophone and 44 ethnic Latvian managers in Latvia using the Personal Values Questionnaire. Value patterns of Russophone and Latvian managers were generally congruent. However, subcultural diversity within the Russophone sample, based upon both geographic location and primary value orientation, produced a complex set of similarities and differences. Russophones in Riga and Russophones inthe provincial city of Daugavpils differed from one another nearly as much as either subgroup differed from Latvian managers. Contextual factors — the long reach of decades of Soviet administrative culture, as well as current political and economic realities — are discussed as possible constraints on value expression. Prospects for cooperation and conflict between Russophones and Latvian managers, grounded in shared and divergent values, are likely to be mediated by perceptions about these contextual realities for sometime to come.