The Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS) made a new assessment tool for healthy, environmentally sustainable schools in Virginia available for public review. The tool, called the Virginia CHPS Criteria (VA-CHPS), creates a benchmark for the design and construction of Virginia high performance school buildings that are efficient, comfortable, environmentally responsible and healthy spaces to learn.
“CHPS is excited to offer a new tool to help Virginia invest wisely in schools that are better for our kids and better for the environment. The Virginia CHPS Criteria is a state-specific high performance school standard that responds to the priorities and local conditions of Virginia’s schools,” said Jim Ogden of 3QC, Inc. and Chair of the Technical Committee of CHPS. “We invite all stakeholders to participate in making this tool the best it can be by submitting comments during the public review period.”
Development of the Virginia CHPS resource represents the first time a state has used the new CHPS “Core Criteria” to design a high performance building rating system. CHPS has identified three priorities of improving health and student performance, reducing operating costs and mitigating environmental impacts, which are reflected in the Core Criteria. States then use the Core Criteria to build in state priorities, local climate and code issues and other regional variations that make each state’s rating system unique. Over the last five years, ten states have developed rating systems for their schools.
A Virginia-based advisory committee, representing a range of school districts and design stakeholders, developed VA-CHPS. The committee created a CHPS Criteria to the unique codes and regulations, climates, opportunities, and local priorities of the state. The committee was also charged to ensure that the spirit and stringency of the CHPS standard was upheld.
VA-CHPS applies not only to the design and construction of new schools, but also to major modernizations and additions to existing school campuses. Schools that pursue recognition using VA-CHPS will be supported by CHPS throughout the design and construction process.
The VA-CHPS Criteria can be downloaded and commented on by visiting: http://www.chps.net/virginia. This is the first public review period and comments are due by Dec. 16, 2010. Virginia schools will be able to use VA-CHPS after the public review period has been completed and the VA-Criteria is approved by the CHPS Board of Directors.
CHPS is a 501c(3) non-profit headquartered in San Francisco. For more information about CHPS, visit www.chps.net.