TX-CHPS Criteria for New Construction and Major Modernizations

TX-CHPS ensures that the state’s schools have access to appropriate tools and resources to build high performance schools, schools that can improve student and staff health, improve student performance, increase a sense of community, reduce environmental impact, and reduce operating expenses.

"Given the large amount of new school construction happening in Texas, it was imperative that a state-specific assessment tool be made available to school districts who want to invest wisely in green, healthy, high performance schools," said Charles Eley, executive director of CHPS. "The Texas CHPS Criteria, developed by the stakeholders who know the Texas school system best, will provide the state with a benchmarking tool for its new generation of high performance schools."

For the past several months, a Texas-based advisory committee, representing a broad range of school construction and operation stakeholders, developed TX-CHPS to meet the needs of Texas K-12 schools. The committee utilized the work of other states and adapted CHPS to the unique codes and regulations, climates, constraints, and local priorities of the state. The committee is also charged to ensure that the "spirit and stringency" of CHPS is upheld in the final adopted version.

One of the unique challenges the committee faced was adapting the Criteria to the varying climate zones in Texas, particularly the hot and humid climate in the southeastern part of the state. An additional challenge was the availability of construction and demolition debris recycling opportunities in the state. This was the only area that the TX-CHPS Criteria was unable to meet the stringency of the CHPS brand. Instead of having a minimum construction waste recycling prerequisite, like other CHPS states, projects in Texas can receive points for reducing construction waste. The committee also reviewed and adjusted the point weightings across the TX-CHPS Criteria to ensure it met the priorities of Texas schools. Credits that increased energy performance and independence as well as improved student health were weighted heavier, including the energy performance, on-site energy producton, daylighting and low-emitting materials credits.

Schools that pursue TX-CHPS will be supported by the CHPS organization and the Texas-based advisory committee throughout the design, construction and operation process.

Related Materials and Programs

CHPS Verified Program

CHPS Designed Program

TX-CHPS Designed Scorecard

New CHPS Rating Systems Available for Texas and California (Press Release)

Texas CHPS Advisory Board

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TX CHPS Criteria
(2009 Edition)

School/District Official Architect/Engineer Consultants Contractor New Construction Major modernization Minor modernization/retrofits Programming and goal setting Selecting A/E team Site analysis Schematic Design Design Development Construction Documents Bidding Construction Administration Pre Occupancy Asssessment Tool Best Practices Texas