LOGAN — City officials plan to spend $200,000 to certify that an addition to Logan's Justice Building is environmentally friendly.

The 23,000- to 25,000-square-foot expansion will likely qualify for a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, or LEED, silver certification.

To attain the certification, the city must demonstrate the expansion incorporates various energy-saving measures, like windows that are positioned to take advantage of sunlight, showers for people who bicycle to work and efficient cooling and heating systems.

Submitting the paperwork to earn the certification will cost about $200,000 in staff time.

Laraine Swenson, the municipal council member who proposed the city seek the certification, said it would set an example for other Cache Valley buildings, and the energy-saving measures would eventually pay for themselves and the costs of certification.

"I think it is a reasonable cost to incur at this time," Swenson said. "It makes environmental and economic sense."

But not everyone agrees. Councilwoman Tami Pyfer supports the energy-saving measures, but she said spending money on certification might not be worthwhile.

"I'm worried about we're doing things just to get a certification," Pyfer said. "Is that cost-effective for our citizens?"

Pyfer said some of the certification requirements don't make sense. For example, she said, there is no need for a shower in the addition because there already is one in the Justice Building.

The addition to the 7-year-old, 54,000-square-foot Justice Building will cost about $4.1 million, said Mayor Randy Watts. The council has already appropriated $3.6 million, Watts said. He said most of the money would come from reserve accounts.

The remainder needs to be appropriated at a later date.

Watts said he hasn't heard much griping about the energy-saving measures or the LEED certification. He said Logan is becoming more environmentally conscious.

"Whatever's going on today with our environment, things have got to change," he said.

Because of environmental concerns, the council voted 3-2 in March against investing in a coal-fired power plant to be built in Delta. And the council plans to vote Aug. 21 on an ordinance that would require all city buildings to meet LEED standards.

The Justice Building expansion will likely be the first structure in Cache Valley to earn LEED certification, although several buildings at Utah State University would probably qualify if USU officials would apply.

LEED is a nationally recognized system for rating buildingsâ energy efficiency. LEED uses a point system to rank buildings at four levels: platinum, gold, silver and certified.

The expansion will house the Police Department, which will move out of the Justice Building at 290 N. 100 West. Most city offices will fill the void left by the police, and the building at 255 N. Main that houses the city offices and library will accommodate an expanded library.

Municipal court will remain in the Justice Building. The buildings are in close proximity downtown on what has become known as Logan's "city block."

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E-mail: mikewennergren@yahoo.com