A delegation of SIA Jaunrīgas attīstības uzņēmums participated in the leading waterfront real estate development, land use planning, construction and management conference and exhibition WaterfrontExpo, which took place in Lisbon from the 2nd to 4th of October. In 2007, the event chose to mainly focus on the sustainability aspects of land development in areas adjacent to rivers and other bodies of water.

Twelve different local and regional projects were presented as case studies, in order to explore and re-examine the ways of implementing the agenda of sustainability.

It turned out that it is possible to discern various facets of sustainability. Thus, in each particular case there is a different and balanced combination of factors, among which three key aspects are singled out: social, economic and environment quality/ecology. In terms of access and pedestrian-friendliness, sustainable development of waterfront areas is often closely connected to optimisation of transport routes, including those of public transport. In order to be successful, a project should also include the planning, development and maintenance of compact urban infrastructure, serving the professional, residential and recreational needs of the population. Land use planners, developers and architects ought to recognise the relevance of safety and environmental quality, while not forgetting that satisfaction of the local residents is what counts most.

Valters Māziņš, chairman of the board of SIA Jaunrīgas attīstības uzņēmums, commented: "All development projects in waterfront areas have a significant impact on the advancement of the city. Real estate projects of this type create trend-setting factors, which should unfold in harmony with the changing modern lifestyle and even enhance it, by also helping to create an environment that respects the local culture. While modelling the future of Andrejsala, we have studied the preferences of Rigans regarding the use of the embankment, considered various ways of preserving and integrating the existing structures and devised plans for assisting the general development of the territory with the most up-to-date architectural and planning methods as well as interacting with arts, design and culture processes."

Presentations given at the Lisbon conference upheld the known fact that tower high-rises are a characteristic feature of nearly every waterfront-based real estate project. They are able to create vivid skylines, impress the onlooker with a dynamic and reflexive visual image, help to organise the urban network of various functions and facilitate the lives of its users and visitors, thus resulting in an economically viable and sustainable development. For example, Lisbon's Park of Nations (Parque das Nações in Portuguese) is a 340-hectare development located in former industrial (port-related) and militarised areas, which have now been turned into residential, public-use and commercial districts. Great Britain's Middlehaven project foresees the use of renewable energy and creation of a zero-carbon community. Its various new buildings are designed by a range of renowned and talented architects in order to give the territory a distinct and unique character. Andrejsala too has paid due attention to the principles of sustainability while blueprinting its future.