Politicians in Stavanger have been warned that their new City Hall will cost more than double than planned. The main reason has been tied to politically motivated goals to make the structure more climate- and environmentally friendly.
A new report from the accounting firm Rogaland Revisjon warns of a budget overrun of 123 percent, reports newspaper Stavanger Aftenblad, from an initial NOK 260 million to an expected NOK 580 million (USD 53 million). Most of the skyrocketing costs are tied to local politicians’ calls for a so-called “smart-building” with solar cells integrated into its facade, use of electro-magnetic glass and environmentally friendly building materials and wood.
The report indicates that Labour Party politicians who held city government power when the building was being planned weren’t well-enough informed of the costs involved in the project. Opposition politician Hilde Karlsen of the Conservatives blames the left-leaning parties for the cost overruns, claiming the city “approved things without knowing the consequences. We need to stop opting for top-quality in everything we do.”
NewsinEnglish.no staff
