Letters

I would like to comment on some misleading press the Seattle City Hall (LEED Gold) has received, in particular an article in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer labeling the building an energy hog. The author spoke to no one on the design team and took electricity use data from the final operating year of the Municipal Building and compared it to the first-year electricity usage in the new City Hall. The comparison isn't valid because:

1. The buildings differ significantly in type and hours of use. Muni had little public space and few after-hours events. The City Hall has a generous public lobby and the Landes Room that are used often for nighttime public events.
2. The data is for electricity use, not total energy use. Muni shared steam heat with the old Public Safety Building.
3. At least three floors of Muni were empty during the data collection year. The lights were literally turned off.
4. During the City Hall data collection year, electrical power for [ongoing] construction came through the City Hall meter. The lower floors of the building had uninsulated temporary walls separating them from the outdoors. Even with these factors, actual electricity use was approximately 7% less than the baseline ASHRAE energy model.
5. The amount of fresh air brought into City Hall is 3–5 times greater than the ventilation air intake for the Muni Building. More fresh air improves IAQ and occupant health, but it does take electricity to move and to cool greater volumes of fresh air.

Gregory Hepp AIA, LEED AP, Principal, Bassetti Architects, Seattle, Wash.