Collaborative for High Performance Schools
Encyclopedia
The Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS) is the United States' first green building
rating program especially designed for K-12 schools. CHPS provides information and resources to schools in order to facilitate the construction and operation of high performance institutions. A high performance school is energy and resource efficient as well as healthy, comfortable, well lit, and containing the amenities for a quality education.
called together Pacific Gas and Electric Company
, Sempra Energy
, and Southern California Edison
to discuss how to improve the energy performance of California’s schools. CHPS addresses not only energy efficiency
, but additional considerations that foster healthy and environmentally responsible school buildings. The CHPS criteria, published in 2002, established the nation’s first building rating program specifically intended to assist schools in designing sound, environmentally responsible learning spaces.
Now, CHPS is a national membership organization with two high performance building rating and recognition programs: CHPS Designed and CHPS Verified. Schools can self-certify their building through the free CHPS Designed program, or seek third-party verification
of their high performance school through the CHPS Verified program. Both programs utilize the CHPS guidelines provided in the Best Practices Manual, a six volume technical manual detailing the process of building and maintaining a high performance school. In addition, CHPS offers training, conferences, and other tools for designing healthy, green schools. The CHPS Low-Emitting Materials table contains products that have been certified to meet the CHPS Low-Emitting Materials criteria, Section 01350, for use in a typical classroom as described in a California Department of Health Services (CDHS) Standard Practice. The CHPS Low-Emitting Materials table is referenced in the California Green Building Code and in the Minnesota Sustainable Building Guidelines.
CHPS membership is composed of over 225 member organizations including government agencies, utility companies, school districts, non-profit organizations and private companies. While the program started in California, it has now expanded to other states, including New York
, Washington, Maryland
, Rhode Island
, New Hampshire
, Maine
, and Connecticut
. Soon, Texas
and Colorado
will also adopt CHPS standards. CHPS School Districts include Los Angeles Unified School District
, Burbank Unified School District
, Coast Community College District, Dry Creek Joint Elementary School District
, San Diego Unified School District
, San Francisco Unified School District
, San Marcos Unified School District, San Rafael City Schools
, Visalia Unified School District
, Natomas Unified School District
, New Haven Unified School District, Ukiah Unified School District, Cajon Valley Union School District, Poway Unified School District
, Palo Alto Unified School District
, Oakland Unified School District
, Roseland School District
, Menlo Park City School District
, Santa Ana Unified School District
, West Contra Costa Unified School District
, Santa Monica Malibu Unified School District, Long Beach Unified School District
, Capistrano Unified School District
, and Windsor Unified School District
. The CHPS Board of Directors
and Technical Committee consist of national representatives from a range of sectors involved in school design, construction and operation.
is essential for teacher and student health. Good design also produces more comfortable environments with proper lighting, air temperature, humidity, and noise levels. These factors reduce distractions and create environments where students and teachers can see clearly, hear accurately, and not feel too warm or too cold.
High performance design is also cost effective because it creates environments that are energy and resource efficient. These increased efficiencies save money on utility bills and are so valuable that some organizations will provide building owners with funds to have them included in the design. Furthermore, healthier environments can bring money into the school by lowering absenteeism
and increasing funding based on average daily attendance. These financial, health, and productivity benefits are the result of integrated design: understanding how building elements affect one another to optimize the performance of the entire school.
On June 4, 2008, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the "21st Century Green High-Performing Public School Facilities Act," that commits over $20 billion of funding over the next five years to high performance schools. CHPS is recognized as one of the standards that projects would need to meet in order to qualify for the H.R. 3021 legislation funding. H.R. 3021 was referred to the Senate on August 1, 2008.
Green building
Green building refers to a structure and using process that is environmentally responsible and resource-efficient throughout a building's life-cycle: from siting to design, construction, operation, maintenance, renovation, and demolition...
rating program especially designed for K-12 schools. CHPS provides information and resources to schools in order to facilitate the construction and operation of high performance institutions. A high performance school is energy and resource efficient as well as healthy, comfortable, well lit, and containing the amenities for a quality education.
History and organization
CHPS was created as the result of a meeting in November 1999, when the California Energy CommissionCalifornia Energy Commission
The California Energy Commission is California’s primary energy policy and planning agency. Created in 1974 and headquartered in Sacramento, the Commission has responsibility for activities that include forecasting future energy needs, promoting energy efficiency through appliance and building...
called together Pacific Gas and Electric Company
Pacific Gas and Electric Company
The Pacific Gas and Electric Company , commonly known as PG&E, is the utility that provides natural gas and electricity to most of the northern two-thirds of California, from Bakersfield almost to the Oregon border...
, Sempra Energy
Sempra Energy
Sempra Energy is a Fortune 500 energy services holding company based in San Diego, California. It divides its interests into two broad categories: Sempra Utilities, including Pacific Enterprises/Southern California Gas Company and San Diego Gas & Electric; and Sempra Global, a holding company for...
, and Southern California Edison
Southern California Edison
Southern California Edison , the largest subsidiary of Edison International , is the primary electricity supply company for much of Southern California, USA. It provides 14 million people with electricity...
to discuss how to improve the energy performance of California’s schools. CHPS addresses not only energy efficiency
Efficient energy use
Efficient energy use, sometimes simply called energy efficiency, is the goal of efforts to reduce the amount of energy required to provide products and services. For example, insulating a home allows a building to use less heating and cooling energy to achieve and maintain a comfortable temperature...
, but additional considerations that foster healthy and environmentally responsible school buildings. The CHPS criteria, published in 2002, established the nation’s first building rating program specifically intended to assist schools in designing sound, environmentally responsible learning spaces.
Now, CHPS is a national membership organization with two high performance building rating and recognition programs: CHPS Designed and CHPS Verified. Schools can self-certify their building through the free CHPS Designed program, or seek third-party verification
Third-party verification
Third party verification is a process of getting an independent party to confirm that the customer is actually requesting a change or ordering a new service or product...
of their high performance school through the CHPS Verified program. Both programs utilize the CHPS guidelines provided in the Best Practices Manual, a six volume technical manual detailing the process of building and maintaining a high performance school. In addition, CHPS offers training, conferences, and other tools for designing healthy, green schools. The CHPS Low-Emitting Materials table contains products that have been certified to meet the CHPS Low-Emitting Materials criteria, Section 01350, for use in a typical classroom as described in a California Department of Health Services (CDHS) Standard Practice. The CHPS Low-Emitting Materials table is referenced in the California Green Building Code and in the Minnesota Sustainable Building Guidelines.
CHPS membership is composed of over 225 member organizations including government agencies, utility companies, school districts, non-profit organizations and private companies. While the program started in California, it has now expanded to other states, including New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, Washington, Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
, Rhode Island
Rhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
, New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
, Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
, and Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
. Soon, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
and Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
will also adopt CHPS standards. CHPS School Districts include Los Angeles Unified School District
Los Angeles Unified School District
Los Angeles Unified School District is the largest public school system in California. It is the 2nd largest public school district in the United States. Only the New York City Department of Education has a larger student population...
, Burbank Unified School District
Burbank Unified School District
Burbank Unified School District is a school district headquartered in Burbank, California, United States.-High Schools:* Burbank High School* John Burroughs High School* Monterey High School-Middle Schools:* David Starr Jordan Middle School...
, Coast Community College District, Dry Creek Joint Elementary School District
Dry Creek Joint Elementary School District
The Dry Creek Joint Elementary School District began in 1876, with only a few students in a one room schoolhouse. It is now among the fastest growing school districts in the State of California. Each of its schools has received the coveted distinction of being a California Distinguished School...
, San Diego Unified School District
San Diego Unified School District
San Diego Unified School District is the school district of San Diego, California. It was founded in 1854...
, San Francisco Unified School District
San Francisco Unified School District
San Francisco Unified School District , established in 1851, is the only public school district within the City and County of San Francisco, and the first in the state of California...
, San Marcos Unified School District, San Rafael City Schools
San Rafael City Schools
San Rafael City Schools is a school district headquartered in San Rafael, California, United States.The district, according to the San Rafael city charter, is composed of two separate boundaries: the San Rafael Elementary School District and the San Rafael High School District , which are governed...
, Visalia Unified School District
Visalia Unified School District
The Visalia Unified School District is a school district in Tulare County, California. VUSD was established in 1885, and is the oldest school district in Tulare County...
, Natomas Unified School District
Natomas Unified School District
Natomas Unified School District is located in northwestern Sacramento, California. It is the main school district of Natomas, a suburb of Sacramento, California. Dr. General Davie, Jr...
, New Haven Unified School District, Ukiah Unified School District, Cajon Valley Union School District, Poway Unified School District
Poway Unified School District
Poway Unified School District is a school district located in Poway, California. The District operates 25 elementary schools , six middle schools , four comprehensive high schools , and one continuation high school. Twenty-one of its schools are located in the city of San Diego; eleven others in...
, Palo Alto Unified School District
Palo Alto Unified School District
- Jane Lathrop Stanford Middle School :Jane Lathrop Stanford Middle School is a middle school located at 480 East Meadow Dr., Palo Alto, CA 94306. 2007 STAR test results showed an attendance of 870 students, in grades 6 through 8. It was originally named Ray Lyman Wilbur Junior High School after...
, Oakland Unified School District
Oakland Unified School District
Oakland Unified School District is a public education school district which operates elementary schools , middle schools , and high schools in Oakland, California.-History:...
, Roseland School District
Roseland School District
The Roseland School District is a community public school district that serves students in Kindergarten through sixth grade from Roseland, in Essex County, New Jersey, United States....
, Menlo Park City School District
Menlo Park City School District
The Menlo Park City School District is a public school district in the San Francisco Bay Area, primarily serving the communities of Menlo Park and Atherton...
, Santa Ana Unified School District
Santa Ana Unified School District
Santa Ana Unified School District is a school district in Orange County, California that serves the city of Santa Ana. Although its geographic size is only , it is the sixth largest school district in the state of California with approximately 58,000 students...
, West Contra Costa Unified School District
West Contra Costa Unified School District
The West Contra Costa Unified School District is the school district for western Contra Costa County, California. It is based in Richmond, California...
, Santa Monica Malibu Unified School District, Long Beach Unified School District
Long Beach Unified School District
The Long Beach Unified School District is a school district headquartered in Long Beach, California, United States.LBUSD serves most of Long Beach, all of the city of Signal Hill, and portions of Lakewood, and Paramount, as well as Avalon and Two Harbors on Santa Catalina Island.-School uniforms...
, Capistrano Unified School District
Capistrano Unified School District
Capistrano Unified School District is the second largest school district in Orange County, California, the 12th largest in California and the 82nd largest in the United States. The district currently has 51,512 students...
, and Windsor Unified School District
Windsor Unified School District
Windsor Unified School District or WUSD is the public school district in Windsor, California. The school district contains seven schools:* Windsor High School* Windsor Middle School* Cali Calmécac Charter School* Brooks Elementary School...
. The CHPS Board of Directors
Board of directors
A board of directors is a body of elected or appointed members who jointly oversee the activities of a company or organization. Other names include board of governors, board of managers, board of regents, board of trustees, and board of visitors...
and Technical Committee consist of national representatives from a range of sectors involved in school design, construction and operation.
High performance schools
High performance schools are healthy, comfortable, energy efficient, resource efficient, water efficient, safe, secure, adaptable, and easy to operate and maintain. These qualities help school districts assist students to achieve higher test scores, retain quality teachers and staff, reduce operating cost, increase average daily attendance, and reduce liability, while at the same time being friendly to the environment. High performance design can have a positive effect on health and comfort, and design strategies such as daylighting have been shown to enhance student learning. Good indoor air qualityIndoor air quality
Indoor air quality is a term referring to the air quality within and around buildings and structures, especially as it relates to the health and comfort of building occupants....
is essential for teacher and student health. Good design also produces more comfortable environments with proper lighting, air temperature, humidity, and noise levels. These factors reduce distractions and create environments where students and teachers can see clearly, hear accurately, and not feel too warm or too cold.
High performance design is also cost effective because it creates environments that are energy and resource efficient. These increased efficiencies save money on utility bills and are so valuable that some organizations will provide building owners with funds to have them included in the design. Furthermore, healthier environments can bring money into the school by lowering absenteeism
Absenteeism
Absenteeism is a habitual pattern of absence from a duty or obligation. Traditionally, absenteeism has been viewed as an indicator of poor individual performance, as well as a breach of an implicit contract between employee and employer; it was seen as a management problem, and framed in economic...
and increasing funding based on average daily attendance. These financial, health, and productivity benefits are the result of integrated design: understanding how building elements affect one another to optimize the performance of the entire school.
On June 4, 2008, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the "21st Century Green High-Performing Public School Facilities Act," that commits over $20 billion of funding over the next five years to high performance schools. CHPS is recognized as one of the standards that projects would need to meet in order to qualify for the H.R. 3021 legislation funding. H.R. 3021 was referred to the Senate on August 1, 2008.