The Collaborative for High Performance Schools, Inc. (CHPS) has made a name for itself by providing in-depth technical resources, a green school building benchmark system and self-certification program for school districts. CHPS is widely known for helping school districts to build a new generation of healthy, efficient, sustainable schools.

CHPS' green school building benchmark system, the CHPS Criteria, is a system of credits and prerequisites that provides a nationally accepted standard for what constitutes a high performance school, and incorporates ideas that are unique to children’s learning environments, including acoustics, superior indoor air quality measures and encourages using schools as teaching tools. Twenty California school districts have voluntarily adopted the CHPS Criteria as a mandatory design standard for all new construction, including the state’s largest districts (e.g. Los Angeles, San Diego, and San Francisco).

In 2000 CHPS was initially created for use in California; however, since that time it has been regionally adapted in Massachusetts, Washington, New York and is currently being adapted by several additional New England States. The new LEED for Schools program has also been adapted in part from the CHPS program. CHPS has not only expanded geographically but also in the programs it offers and is proud to introduce its latest, the CHPS Verified program.

What is CHPS Verified?
CHPS Verified is CHPS’ new voluntary green school building program that combines project management, the CHPS building Criteria and a third-party assessment to ensure that the school project is designed and built to the highest performance standards. A school that is recognized as CHPS Verified is healthier, more environmentally efficient and cost-saving, and has been verified by an independent, third-party to be so. Participation in this program will ensure that the school project has the required high performance features to realize all the benefits associated with high performance schools, including improved student and worker health, increased productivity and student performance, decreased operating costs through energy and resource savings, and reduced environmental impact.

The CHPS Verification Program will help design teams manage the design and documentation process with tools for project oversight, plan review and other resources. The Verification Program User Guide is available online (download it here) and outlines design and construction review requirements and what each registered project will receive. Each participating project receives:

• Project Website: The project website allows for electronic submittal of all supporting documentation, project tracking tools (e.g. timelines, to do lists, reminders) and allows for coordination and communication amongst the project team and with CHPS staff. Projects will be reviewed online; no paper submittals are necessary.
• Project Scorecard: The project scorecard (“project application”) includes a series of credit and prerequisite templates that can be used to track progress on CHPS prerequisites and credits and to assign responsibility amongst team members. The worksheets have been set up to allow all necessary calculations to be performed within them.
• CHPS Criteria Interpretations (CCI’s): CHPS offers up to 3 criteria interpretations on any of its credits for verification program projects. CHPS technical experts will review the request and reply within 10 to 30 days.
• CHPS Staff Oversight and Submittal Screen: CHPS staff will screen all submittals at the design and construction phases for completeness prior to review to help speed up the review process.
• Documentation Training: CHPS will offer web trainings on how to use the project scorecard, submit the appropriate documentation and use the project websites.
• Third Party Review: Each project will have their construction documents (plans and specs), scorecard, supporting documentation assessed by a CHPS approved independent reviewer.
• Recognition: Each approved participating project will receive a CHPS plaque. CHPS will list the project on its website and may participate in school opening ceremonies as well as use the project in case studies based on project and availability.

Participation in the CHPS Verified Program will also help school districts with obtaining extra funding for design and construction. In California, school districts can apply to receive a share of the $100 million in high performance incentive funding provided by Proposition 1D passed in November 2006.

How does CHPS Verified differ from CHPS Designed?
CHPS began as a self-certifying building rating program, referred to as CHPS Designed. With the introduction of CHPS Verified, project managers will now have a choice for which building rating program to employ as they move through the pre-design process. CHPS offers both programs to allow flexibility in compliance. CHPS realizes that school districts are constantly faced with multiple challenges with student population growth, demand for improved student performance, and social and financial constraints.

Over twenty CHPS Designed schools have been completed. CHPS Designed is ideal for a school districts or design team’s first attempt at using the CHPS Criteria, implementing the Criteria late in a project or for school districts with limited need for an independent project review. The program relies on a project scorecard that helps design teams manage the points that they are claiming, and can be used to designate responsible team members and track compliance with credits. CHPS Designed is free to participate in and primary accountability rests on the school district and design team for ensuring the CHPS Criteria have been met.

CHPS Verified is ideal for school districts or design teams seeking to verify their project’s performance. Participation will give design teams access to project management tools, and will assist in obtaining incentive funding (e.g. California’s Proposition 1D). Accountability will rest not only on the school district and design team but also on CHPS and an assigned independent reviewer.

Who can participate in CHPS Verified?
CHPS Verified works with each of the project types addressed by the Criteria:
1) New Schools,
2) New Buildings on and Existing Campus, and
3) Major Modernization Projects.
Each of these project types are defined in the 2006 Edition Volume III, Criteria, of the CHPS Best Practices Manual, along with their respective requirements and point thresholds.

What is the difference between CHPS and LEED For schools?
In 2007 the US Green Building Council is scheduled to release their LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) for Schools tool. This tool will be similar to the CHPS rating program, as it is partially based on the CHPS Criteria. When choosing between LEED and CHPS, school districts will have various factors to consider including ease of certification, recognition, cost, experience, flexibility, transparency, and regional adaptation.

School districts that are focusing on the public recognition aspect of building a green school may be interested in the brand recognition that comes with LEED status. However, school districts face very real cost and personnel limitations that may override public relations concerns. CHPS offers two rating program options (Verified and Designed) that are meant to address these concerns while also achieving the highest standards of health and environmental efficiency. In addition, many of CHPS resources, including its Criteria, trainings and publications are free for school districts. The CHPS Designed rating program has been in use for four years and has been regionally adapted to meet the needs of the varying climates and local conditions of participating states. The CHPS implementation approach works at the district level, to holistically integrate high performance standards into multiple school campuses as opposed to single buildings. The CHPS Criteria also rewards school districts for making long-term, ongoing policy and operations decisions that add to the health of children and the environment.

INTERESTED IN CHPS VERIFIED?
For more information about CHPS log onto www.chps.net, email info@chps.net or call 877-642-CHPS.