4518 University

How does 4518 University compare with other retail store buildings in Seattle?

The latest disclosures cover 68 retail store buildings in Seattle, out of 3,871 buildings citywide. 4518 University's ENERGY STAR score of 61 compares with an average of 73 across the 50 that report a score; it scores higher than 28% of them and lower than 70%. Its site EUI of 54.3 kBtu/ft² is about 18% above the average of 45.9 kBtu/ft² — it uses more energy per square foot than the typical building in that group. Its emissions intensity of 0.6 kgCO₂e/ft² is about half of the group average of 1.1 kgCO₂e/ft².

At 33,910 sq ft, it is about half of the average floor area of 70,593 sq ft for those buildings. It was built in 1953, 10 years earlier than the group's average year built (1963). Across all 24 jurisdictions BuildingCensus covers, the 3,025 retail store buildings average an ENERGY STAR score of 73 and a site EUI of 57.7 kBtu/ft².

How has 4518 University's energy performance changed over time?

BuildingCensus holds 11 Seattle disclosures for 4518 University, covering report years 2015–2025. Its ENERGY STAR score went from 72 in 2015 to 61 in 2025 (-11 points); its best year on file was 2016, at 75. Site EUI moved from 63.8 kBtu/ft² (2015) to 54.3 kBtu/ft² (2025), a 15% decrease. Reported emissions went from 34 tCO₂e to 16 tCO₂e over the same span (down 54%).

What does an ENERGY STAR score of 61 mean?

ENERGY STAR scores run from 1 to 100 and are computed by the EPA's Portfolio Manager as a percentile against similar buildings nationwide, adjusted for climate, size and use: a score of 61 means the building performs better than about 61% of its national peers. BuildingCensus bands the score into report-card grades; 61 falls in band C — below median (55–69). It sits 14 points below 75, the threshold for ENERGY STAR certification. In Seattle, 69% of scored buildings are at 75 or above.

Site energy-use intensity (EUI) is the energy a building uses on site in a year divided by its floor area, in thousand Btu per square foot — lower is more efficient. 4518 University's 54.3 kBtu/ft² across 33,910 sq ft works out to about 1.8 billion Btu (540 MWh-equivalent) in 2025. Its source EUI of 143.3 kBtu/ft² also counts the energy lost generating and delivering that power, which is why it is higher. The disclosure also reports 419,692 kWh of electricity and 1,448 therms of natural gas for the year.

Which law requires 4518 University to report its energy use?

4518 University reports under the Seattle Energy Benchmarking Ordinance (SMC 22.920), the legal basis of Seattle's Building Energy Benchmarking program, which publishes each covered building's annual benchmarking results. The record shown here is the report-year 2025 disclosure (source record seattle:26393:2025). Seattle's Building Emissions Performance Standard (adopted 2023) applies to buildings over 20,000 sq ft: benchmarking verification is due 2027–2030 and initial emissions targets 2031–2035, reaching net zero by 2041–2050, with fines for non-compliance.