CHPS Schools Take Shape

With two recent groundbreakings and a school opening, CHPS schools made headlines in January.

Cahuenga New Elementary School #1
Under sunny Southern California skies on January 15, the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) broke ground on the Cahuenga New Elementary School #1 -- the first in a series of new schools in the district to meet the CHPS Design Guidelines.
Before a crowd of approximately 200 students, community members and district representatives, speakers including State Superintendent of Instruction Jack O'Connell, LAUSD School Board President Jose Huizar, and Los Angeles City Council Member Tom LaBonge celebrated the collaborative process that has made this much-needed school a reality. Located in Los Angeles' Koreatown, the Cahuenga New Elementary School #1 will help relieve overcrowding in the district that currently has hundreds of students being bused to schools in other parts of the city. Once complete, this K-5 school will accommodate 804 students on a traditional calendar and 1,125 on a year-round calendar.
In addition to easing school overcrowding, this school is also the first new facility built since LAUSD passed a resolution in 2002 adopting the CHPS Design Guidelines for their schools. CHPS Executive Board Member Randall Higa presented LAUSD with an award honoring their commitment to high performance schools during the groundbreaking ceremony. High performance features at the school will include integrated daylight and electric lighting systems in classrooms, recycled content ceiling and wall panels, and overall energy use that exceeds the California Title 24 energy standards by 30%.

Cesar Chavez Education Center
On January 29, 2004, CHPS proudly recognized Oakland Unified School District for completing one of the first demonstration schools, Cesar Chavez Education Center. The opening ceremony featured speeches from members of the Oakland City Council and the Oakland School Board, representatives from Think College Now and the Urban Promise Academy, and newly-elected CHPS Chair and California State Architect, Stephen Castellanos. The Cesar Chavez Education Center, located in Fruitvale, houses three schools which were previously in temporary classrooms. The new school provides a joint-use facility for the community and has been designed to maximize natural daylighting through a combination of controlled south facing windows with light shelves and glazing, diffuse north facing windows, and skylights. The facility is predicted to exceed state energy efficiency standards by 23-35% due in part by well-integrated efficient lighting and sensor controls system. Other water conservation strategies include use of low-maintenance, drought tolerant native landscape/vegetation. This building employs strategic acoustic design qualities, as it is located adjacent to the Bay Area Rapid Transit tracks. Upon completing the commissioning process, the Cesar Chavez Education Center is expected to achieve 38 CHPS Credits and will serve as a model of high performance school design.

SE Area New Learning Center
The groundbreaking ceremony at the SE Area New Learning Center - the second CHPS School in LAUSD -- took place on January 30 in Maywood, CA. CHPS Vice Chair Gregg Ander took part in the ceremony that recognized the exceptional high performance features this school will accomplish.
The SE Area New Learning Center is one of the first schools in LAUSD to meet the CHPS Design Guidelines and it is expected to earn an outstanding score of 54 points on the CHPS Criteria Scorecard upon completion. High performance features include: exceeding the California Energy Code (Title 24) by 30%; located within walking distance for most students, near public transit; east-west orientation to maximize daylighting through light shelves, glazing and a dimming system; naturally ventilated in most areas; contains a cool roof; reclaimed water for irrigation; durable, low-emitting materials with recycled content; and landscaping was designed to reduce heat island effect and favor native drought-tolerant plants. When completed, this school will accommodate 1,500 students.

Indoor Air Quality Workshop:
Collective Knowledge to Direct CHPS Policy

On December 11th at the Pacific Energy Center in San Francisco, more than 50 school designers, policymakers and industry members met for a CHPS-sponsored workshop on indoor air quality (IAQ) in schools.

Presentations and discussions covered a variety of topics related to classroom IAQ, including source control, chamber testing, emissions studies, controlling moisture, ventilation requirements for schools, and commissioning. The information presented and discussions that took place will be used to update the CHPS Best Practices Manual and criteria.

Reducing Material Emissions
Presentations on reducing material emissions included source control and case study presentations by Anthony Bernheim, FAIA, of SMWM; a presentation on chamber testing by Leon Alevantis, MS, PE, CA Department of Health Sciences; a presentation by CIWMB's Dana Papke on the CIWMB/DHS building material emissions study of various recycled content materials; and a presentation about the Division of the State Architect's Environmentally Preferable Products (EPP) Database by Panama Bartholomy.
These sessions showed a growing resource of information about materials and materials testing that will help designers specify healthier materials. The CIWMB/DHS study found that products with recycled content performed about the same as standard products, and that many low-emitting recycled content products are available that can contribute to healthy indoor environments. Another resource for designers being developed now, the EPP Database, is scheduled to be on line by early 2005.
Additionally, the CHPS web site will soon feature a list of products already approved under Section 01350 testing protocol.

Controlling Moisture and Ventilation
Presentations about moisture and ventilation included a presentation by Indoor Environmental Engineering's Bud Offermann, PE, CIH, on mold and moisture control and a presentation on ventilation codes by Taylor Engineering's Steve Taylor, PE.
The CHPS fact sheet on mold control in classrooms has some tips and resources for designers on preventing and dealing with mold.

Section 01350
Section 01350, as well as other certification programs, were the main subject of discussion at the users forum in the afternoon. Manufacturers and consultants voiced concerns about the stringency of Section 01350, as well as the need to further develop chain-of-custody protocols. The panel also raised concerns about standardization of the certification programs to ensure that manufacturers do not have to meet different standards for different projects and in different regions.
Architects at the workshop discussed IAQ case studies - including the Capitol Area East End Complex, where Section 01350 was developed and used to require healthier building materials. Another case study, presented by the CHPS consultant for the Los Angeles Unified School District, reviewed a low-emitting materials initiative to incorporate several points from the CHPS Low-Emitting Materials credit into LAUSD's upcoming school projects. The CHPS fact sheet, IAQ Case Study, has more information on Tahoe Truckee Middle School's IAQ measures.

See the new CHPS fact sheets about Indoor Air Quality:
• CHPS Criteria: Low-Emitting Materials Credit
• Mold Prevention and Remediation
• Facing the Indoor Air Quality Challenge (Case Study Tahoe Truckee Elementary School)

Don't miss out… Energy Efficiency Funds Available

If you are planning a School Facility Program (SFP) new construction and modernization project you may consider applying for an additional grant for energy efficiency when certain criteria are met and the proposed facilities in the project exceed specified energy efficiency standards. The passage of Proposition 47 in November 2003 made funding available for Energy Allowance grants. The Office of Public School Construction (OPSC) who implements and administers the SFP on behalf of the State Allocation Board has $13.3 million available for these new construction additional grants. However, there is no funding remaining for additional energy grants for modernization projects.

Districts requesting these funds, the OPSC will be looking for the Division of the State Architect's (DSA) concurrence with the percentage of the energy efficiency that exceeds the nonresidential building energy efficiency standards. For new construction projects, the proposed facilities in the project must exceed energy standards by at least 15 percent and for modernization by at least 10 percent.

To learn more about obtaining DSA's concurrence on your energy funds request, please view these DSA Web links:

• DSA Bulletin on Proposition 47 Energy Allowance Grant Projects and the DSA's verification of energy efficiency compliance
• DSA Energy Allowance Request Form
• DSA Application for Approval of Plans and Specifications

There is still time!! Funding is available for new construction energy efficient projects and the OPSC strongly encourages districts take advantage of this opportunity.

For further information on the SFP project grant amounts, please view the SFP Regulation Sections 1859.71.3 and 1859.78.5 (PDF) located on the OPSC Web site. If you have questions and would like additional information, please contact the OPSC at (916) 445-3160 or contact the OPSC Project Manager assigned to your County. This information is also available on the OPSC Web site.

Vote Yes on Prop. 55 on March 2

Proposition 55 on the March 2004 ballot would provide $12.3 billion ($10 billion for k-12) to build and modernize schools. Prop 55 will improve student learning by providing students a clean, safe place to learn. Prop 55 will invest in our kids and their future by providing funds to repair classrooms and build new schools. Prop 55 targets funds where they are needed most--severely overcrowded classrooms, outdated schools in need of repair, and fast-growing communities that need new schools. To find out more about how you can support Prop 55 contact the Yes on 55-Californians For Accountability And Better Schools Campaign at 888-563-0055, or www.yeson55.com.

CHPS Commissioning Charrette
In an effort to better understand the principles of commissioning high performance schools, CHPS, SoCalEdison and the California Commissioning Collaborative will host a charrette...
Read more...

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