The installation of new gas heating equipment in Riga will no longer be approved from 2026, according to the regulations approved today by the Housing and Environment Committee of the Riga City Council.
From January 1, 2026, permits for the installation of new gas boilers will not be issued unless there is an adequate economic justification. The permits can be used for five years from the date of issue, so boilers can be installed until 2031.
According to LETA, the Riga City Council’s External Communications Department has already adopted regulations on air pollution zoning, while from 2019 requirements against the use of coal for heating in all areas of the city are in force.
Three zones have been established, depending on the amount of pollution and taking into account the number of people affected, the type of land use and the availability of centralized heating.
The first two zones are defined in the city center and its immediate surroundings – Teika, Ciekurkalns, Pardaugava, Agenskalns, Bierini, Atgazene and elsewhere. In the rest of Riga, a third zone has been designated.
The new rules will prohibit the installation of heating systems using coal, lignite, peat and liquid fuels, including diesel, in all zones.
These changes will affect residents who are building a new building or replacing a boiler.
Owners of wood-burning stoves, biomass fuel, gas boilers who do not plan or currently have the means to change their heating equipment, and all those who use central heating will not be affected.
The rules will apply at the time when it is necessary to obtain permission from the Heat Supply Commission to install new heating equipment.
According to the municipality, the city has set targets to improve air quality and mitigate climate change. The intention is to switch to renewable energy sources gradually to avoid unplanned replacements of equipment.
Source: BNS
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