Council plans to build 'green'
New city hall designed to save energy, money
By Sylvie Belmond belmond@theacorn.com

As they encourage developers to build energy-efficient structures, city leaders said they're also "putting their money where their mouth is."

At a City Council meeting last week, Moorpark officials committed to construct a "green" civic center.

"It's our job to lead the way," said Councilmember Roseann Mikos.

The new Moorpark city hall, slated to be built within the next five years, will incorporate features that maximize the use of recycled products and minimize energy use to reduce green gas emissions.

"It's a local action that contributes to a global impact," said Steve Wagner, principal architect for GKK Works, the architectural firm hired to design the new headquarters.

The city will seek Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification for the facility. The certification process assigns point values to specific sustainable design measures, so Moorpark will have to document the "green" features as they incorporate them in the design and construction of the civic center, Wagner said.

The special features will result in a more costly project but will save money for the taxpayers in the long term. Improved energy efficiency, use of renewable resources and water-efficient landscaping will more than recoup the investment over the life of the project, Wagner said.

City employees will be working in a healthier environment, he said.

"We want to design a city hall that continues to be a vibrant, healthy part of the city environment beyond the life expectancy of any of us that are part of the design," he said.

"What one city does isn't going to make a whole lot of difference, but if everybody catches on, we could make a difference," said Assistant City Manager Hugh Riley.

Working to improve building practices is an ongoing effort in Moorpark. Last year the council voted to support the United States Mayors Climate Protection Agreement, which adopts the goals of the Kyoto Protocol Agreement to reduce greenhouse emissions.

Also, the Police Services Center was designed to minimize waste and enhance the comfort and health of its occupants, according to www.builditsmartvc.org. The website encourages county developers to make their building projects as energy efficient and ecologically responsible as possible.