Officials defend City Hall's high electric bill

Seattle city officials yesterday defended the higher electricity use in the new City Hall compared with use in the old Municipal Building that it replaced, saying the buildings are completely different and have different purposes.

The new City Hall was built to higher standards than the 1960s building it replaced, they said. It includes modern security monitoring, an expanded television studio and special ventilation systems for preserving city records.

However, officials also said that no analysis, monitoring or commissioning studies have been done in the two years since the building opened to the public. They also said that the building was under construction until recently.

They don't know if the building is performing up to expectations.

Earlier this month, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer reported that the new building uses 15 percent to 50 percent more electricity some months than the older, larger building it replaced, according to Seattle City Light utility bills.

The old building also was larger and housed far more employees.

At the time, several City Council members said they were stunned by the higher electricity usage.

The high electricity bills are a bit of an embarrassment at a time when Mayor Greg Nickels is urging municipalities across the country to curb energy consumption and voluntarily comply with the Kyoto environmental protocols.

"What was promised, and what are we getting?" Councilman Tom Rasmussen asked yesterday.

Brenda Bauer, director of the city's Fleets and Facilities Department, said the department will work with Seattle City Light on an energy audit of the new City Hall to ensure the city is getting "maximum efficiency" from it.

Bauer said the new building has many features and improvements the older building didn't. It was designed as an "open and inviting civic center" where citizens feel welcome to gather for meeting and community events.

Nearly everyone agrees the now demolished Municipal Building was anything but welcoming to the public.

The new City Hall also includes larger public spaces, a unique fountain, security systems, significantly improved ventilation through a series of electrical fans, specialty lighting for art and architectural and security lighting.

It also has six elevators compared with four cabs in the old building.

"It is clear these two buildings are very different and designed for different times and purposes," Bauer said.

Steve Nicholas, from the city's Office of Sustainability and Environment, said the building is designed to last 100 years and is expected to keep employees healthier and more productive through its design.

"It is a better building in many ways. I feel very confident that over its life it will prove to be a better investment. It is durable and adaptable," he said.

Councilman Peter Steinbrueck said it is key to remember that the new building is significantly different in the way it was designed and is used.

"It was built to much higher standards than the 40-year-old building it replaced," he said.

P-I reporter Kathy Mulady can be reached at 206-448-8029 or kathymulady@seattlepi.com.

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