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The mission of the Collaborative for High Performance Schools is to facilitate the design, construction and operation of high performance schools: environments that are not only energy and resource efficient, but also healthy, comfortable, well lit, and containing the amenities for a quality education.
CHPS helps facilitate and inspire change in our educational system. The goals of CHPS are to:
- Increase student performance with better-designed and healthier facilities,
- Raise awareness of the impact and advantages of high performance schools,
- Provide professionals with better tools to facilitate effective design, construction and maintenance of high performance schools,
- Increase school energy and resource efficiency, and
- Reduce peak electric loads.
CHPS Programs:
High Performance School Recognition and Rating Programs
CHPS oversees the nation’s first green building rating program especially designed for K-12 schools. The CHPS Criteria is a comprehensive system of environmentally responsible benchmarks designed by the CHPS technical committee, which is made up of over fifty school facilities experts including state agency officials, designers, school district officials, contractors, product manufacturers and energy and water utility officials. A CHPS school is a school that has strived to achieve excellence in environmental efficiency and healthy building practices. CHPS recognizes superior design teams and school districts through award ceremonies, case studies and media outreach. Schools can self-certify their school through the free CHPS Designed program, or seek third-party verification of their high performance school through the CHPS Verified program.
High Performance School Trainings
CHPS, an American Institute of Architects registered provider of Continuing Education Services, offers accredited high performance school technical seminars to design professionals. A leader in the field of green school development, CHPS also offers workshops to school districts and other stakeholders on the green school development process, including assisting school districts in creating district-wide resolutions on green school construction. CHPS also offers an annual conference on high performance schools called Greentools for Healthy Schools.
CHPS Best Practice Manual
CHPS has developed and maintains a six-volume technical best practices manual for high performance schools. The manual covers planning, design, high performance benchmarks, maintenance and operations, commissioning and relocatable classrooms in high performance schools. The manual was developed through a consensus process with the assistance of school officials, state agencies, industry representatives and design professionals. CHPS periodically updates each volume of the manual.
CHPS High Performance Resources
CHPS manages a member directory of green school building services and products and a directory of certified low emitting materials for green school construction. CHPS also offers online trainings and presentations, specifications and informational fact sheets. CHPS is developing an individual professional accreditation program that will allow design professionals to become CHPS-accredited.
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