Green Schools in a Red Economy

Tuesday, September 21, 2010
1 to 4 PM

PG&E Pacific Energy Center
851 Howard Street
San Francisco, CA 94103

Register for this event by clicking below.



Join CHPS for a free workshop! This workshop generously provided by Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E).

Green Schools in a Red Economy (3-hr workshop)
Discover the benefits of safe, healthy, energy-efficient facilities that provide the amenities for a quality education. The Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS) released the 2009 Edition of the California CHPS Criteria (CA-CHPS) to coincide with the Title 24 Energy Efficiency Standards update. Participants will learn about the 2009 CA-CHPS Criteria edition, as well as the various resources and programs CHPS offers, the CHPS implementation roadmap, and new resources available through the CHPS program.

In addition, CALGREEN, the nation's first mandatory green building code, goes into effect in January 2011. Newly constructed buildings will be required to install green plumbing, use low-pollutant paints, carpets and flooring, and divert fifty percent of construction waste from landfills to recycling. Energy systems, such as HVAC and other mechanical equipment will be subject to stricter inspections. Find out how CHPS can help you meet the CALGREEN requirements. CHPS will be providing an addendum to our 2009 California CHPS Criteria (CA-CHPS) that will fold in the mandatory CALGREEN measures, as well as a comparison of how voluntary CALGREEN requirements compare to CA-CHPS. Join us for the latest information on how your school district and design team can comply with state building codes while providing a green, healthy, high performance school for students, faculty and staff.

CHPS is a registered provider of continuing education through the American Institute of Architects (AIA). The courses will offer AIA Learning Units in Health Safety and Welfare, as well as Sustainable Design (a new mandatory continuing education requirement). 3 AIA HSW/SD learning units will be provided per session to attendees who sign in with their AIA membership number at the training.

About the Presenters

Brian LaPask
Project Management Supervisor, CA Office of Public School Construction

Brian La Pask has worked at the Office of Public School Construction (OPSC) for a little over nine years as an analyst and manager. For the past two to three years Brian has, among many other regional responsibilities and duties, been charged with supervising the administration of the High Performance Incentive (HPI) grants made available through Proposition 1D as part of school facilities funding. With the help of CHPS, many other stakeholders and other OPSC staff, Brian helped to lead an effort to increase the available credits and funding associated with the HPI grants. This culminated in the State Allocation Board successfully approving regulatory changes at their May 2010 meeting. These changes, coupled with the increased attention in the HPI grants will result in many more green, sustainable school buildings in California. Brian hopes to continue his work with the HPI grants and in many other areas to serve the State's K-12 school facility system into the future.

William "Bill" Orr, C.E.G
CHPS Executive Director

William "Bill" Orr became the leader of CHPS in July 2009, after working for the state of California for almost thirty years. For a majority of career in state government, Bill worked for the California Integrated Waste Management Board where he managed their Green Building and Environmentally Preferable Purchasing programs from 2000-2007.

On the CHPS Board from 2002 to 2007, Bill was the head of the CHPS Technical Committee from its inception through 2007. During that time, he led the development of the 2006 Edition of the CHPS Criteria for California and was on the national LEED for Schools committee. Bill was inducted into the California Green Schools Hall of Fame in 2007 for his pioneering work with CHPS. Bill is a registered Engineering Geologist in California.

Nick Semon
CHPS Technical Programs Coordinator

Nick Semon holds an MS in Civil Engineering from the University of California at Berkeley and a BS in the same from Pennsylvania State University. Nick led the development of the CHPS Operations Report Card, a programmatic approach to benchmarking the performance of existing schools and providing suggestions for improvement. Prior to his work at CHPS, he worked in the sustainable construction industry in central Pennsylvania, focusing on renewable energy systems.

Theresa Townsend, A.I.A
Supervising Architect, CA Division of the State Architect

Theresa Townsend manages the team administering the plan review for the High Performance Incentive Grant Program, K-12 Schools. Additionally, Theresa is instrumental in the planning and execution of the DSA’s Grid Neutral Schools Program.

Theresa has over twenty-five years of experience in the architectural profession with eight years designing schools. A graduate of UC Davis, Ms. Townsend is a LEED accredited professional for new construction, and existing building maintenance and operations. She was the project team leader in charge of attaining the first LEED-EB Platinum in the nation for a State-owned building for California. She led the DSA’s effort in developing the California Green Building Standard Code for public schools and community colleges. Theresa continues to encourage districts to be resource and energy efficient with a grid neutral award program, and other workshops discussing how to go grid neutral.