CHPS Releases Fourth Edition of CA-CHPS Criteria

Sacramento, Calif. — Collaborative for High Performance School (CHPS) today releases the fourth edition of the California CHPS Criteria (CA-CHPS).

Schools designed according to CA-CHPS Criteria emphasize indoor air quality, natural lighting and excellent acoustics in order to maximize student health, comfort and achievement.

“Numerous studies have been conducted on the impact of school facilities on children’s health and productivity, and the results are unequivocal,” notes Aaron Jobson, Co-Chair of CHPS’ California Advisory Committee. “From ventilation to natural light to the use of nontoxic chemicals, how we design and operate our schools has a tremendous impact on our kids. This new version of CA-CHPS incorporates the latest thinking of architects, engineers, and state agencies on how best to construct the next generation of schools that are healthy, energy efficient, and environmentally friendly.”

According to Chester Widom, California State Architect and CA-CHPS Advisory Committee Co-Chair, “The improvements in the 2014 edition of the CHPS Criteria will have a positive impact on the environment and specifically on the sustainability of schools in California.”

There are a number of key advances in this new version of the CA-CHPS Criteria:

  • Establishes indoor environmental quality as the top priority;
  • Embraces design toward zero net energy;
  • Adds an Operations & Metrics category to ensure actual performance of high performance schools and the continued realization of benefits over time;
  • Streamlines the CHPS Verified documentation process through the adoption of a plansheet approach;
  • Offers the High Performance Transition Plan as a pathway for incremental improvement and recognition for schools that undertake a series of renovation/modernization projects; this is an extremely important element because with the passage of Proposition 39, $2.5 billion will be spent over the next five years on energy efficiency retrofits of existing California schools.
  • New California-specific credits include a District Sustainability Plan, Active Energy Management for Energy Efficiency, School Farm, Rainwater Catchment, and Electric Vehicle Charging station.

“The importance of this new CA-CHPS Criteria cannot be overstated,” says Jessica Mack, CHPS Vice Chair, and Demand Side Management Manager at Southern California Edison. “By integrating the Title 24 Energy Standards and CALGreen, this new CA-CHPS version provides a clear path forward for school districts interested in offering the highest quality learning environment.”

CHPS is particularly grateful to our utility sponsors Pacific Gas and Electric Company, Sacramento Municipal Utility District, San Diego Gas & Electric, and Southern California Edison.

The 2014 CA-CHPS Criteria can be downloaded at http://www.chps.net/dev/Drupal/node/32

Featured

  • University of Kentucky Integrates New Cleaning Technology

    The University of Kentucky in Lexington, Ky., recently installed a new cleaning system designed to improve cooling efficiency on campus, according to a news release. The Facilities Management’s Utilities and Energy Management Unit installed new chiller tubes into two of the chillers at the university’s Central Utility Plant.

  • Agualta STEAM Engine

    Outdoor Learning Spaces and Biophilic Design Create Community in East Los Angeles

    Griffith STEAM Magnet Middle School's Agualta STEAM Engine blends education, community, and nature through its adaptable design.

  • Key Considerations for Office-to-Higher-Education Facility Conversions

    Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, office-to-alternative-use conversions have become a recurring subject of urban development discourse. Office utilization rates across major U.S. cities remain below 50%, with vacancy rates exceeding 27% in San Francisco and 16% in New York. Higher education facilities present programmatic and spatial use cases that align readily with the typical characteristics of commercial office buildings.

  • Singlewire Software Report Reveals Gaps in K–12 School Entrance Security

    Single Software recently released its first-ever School Entrance Security Report based on more than 500 responses from U.S. school staff members. According to a news release, the findings highlight a gap between K–12 leaders’ wishes for school safety and how safe the schools actually are, as well as the challenges facing students and staff in that goal.

Digital Edition