As part of its sustainability strategy, Origo Shopping Centre has invested more than EUR 435 000 in a state-of-the-art rooftop solar park. It is one of the first solar park projects of this scale to be unveiled in the centre of Riga. Sustainability is one of the strategic priorities of Origo Shopping Centre, integrating it into all aspects and processes of daily work, from the environment and its accessibility to energy efficiency and management.  

In 2021, Origo received the BREEAM certificate with the highest rating among all shopping centres in the Baltic countries, while Origo’s extended building and Origo One Business Centre were recognised as the most sustainable building in Latvia. The development of a solar park on the roof of Origo is a logical step in its sustainability development plan.

“Environmental sustainability and responsible consumption of resources are at the heart of the values of Origo’s sustainability strategy. Since 2008, an energy efficiency programme has been implemented here to promote smart use of energy resources. During these years, a reduction of more than 30% in energy consumption has been achieved. With the solar park project we will be able to significantly increase this figure and use our own green and renewable solar energy for self-consumption. This is an important step in the sustainable development of Origo, contributing to the saving and efficient use of natural resources and reducing the ecological footprint of Origo,” says Juris Lipskis, Technical Director of Linstow Baltic.

The newly opened rooftop solar park at Origo has a total capacity of 410 kW. It is expected to generate around 360 MWh of renewable solar energy per year, thus contributing to around 4.5% of the total electricity consumption of Origo in 2022. The implementation, installation and monitoring of the solar park project is provided by SaulesParki.lv (SIA EnerGrid).

“We are proud and pleased to implement this project in full, helping the award-winning Origo shopping centre to further develop its sustainability strategy. The creation of such a large-scale solar park in the heart of Riga is a major investment in the future of Origo and the city. The EnerGrid team has worked closely with Origo management and specialists to ensure that the solar park is installed to the highest modern technical and safety standards. We are confident that this project will not only help Origo to achieve its sustainability goals, but will also continue to set an example for other companies and organisations in Riga and across Latvia on how to integrate sustainability principles into their operations and daily practices,” comments Jānis Brikmanis, Member of the Board of SIA EnerGrid.                 

About Origo Shopping Centre: Origo Shopping Centre, which was reconstructed and expanded in 2020, is one of the most modern shopping centres in Latvia. The lower three floors of the new building provide convenient retail and service facilities, while the upper three floors house the Origo One Business Centre with high-quality Class A offices. Origo offers a wide range of local and international brands, including Springfield, Women’secret, Ivo Nikkolo, Reserved, Lindex, Douglas, Sportland, Skechers, Sinsay, Multilukss, LMT, Euronics, AIOO, Vapiano, Gan Bei, Rimi Hyper, Rimi Mini, Veselības centrs 4 and E. Gulbja Laboratorija. The shopping centre is easily accessible for people who commute to the city using public transport and also those travelling by private car (including electric cars) or bicycle. There are 248 car parking spaces for customers, as well as charging points for electric cars and 100 bicycle parking spaces.