Collaborative For High Performance Schools - History and Organization

History and Organization

CHPS was created as the result of a meeting in November 1999, when the California Energy Commission called together Pacific Gas and Electric Company, Sempra Energy, and Southern California Edison to discuss how to improve the energy performance of California’s schools. CHPS addresses not only energy efficiency, but additional considerations that foster healthy and environmentally responsible school buildings. The CHPS criteria, published in 2002, established the nation’s first building rating program specifically intended to assist schools in designing sound, environmentally responsible learning spaces.

Now, CHPS is a national membership organization with two high performance building rating and recognition programs: CHPS Designed and CHPS Verified. Schools can self-certify their building through the free CHPS Designed program, or seek third-party verification of their high performance school through the CHPS Verified program. Both programs utilize the CHPS guidelines provided in the Best Practices Manual, a six volume technical manual detailing the process of building and maintaining a high performance school. In addition, CHPS offers training, conferences, and other tools for designing healthy, green schools. The CHPS Low-Emitting Materials table contains products that have been certified to meet the CHPS Low-Emitting Materials criteria, Section 01350, for use in a typical classroom as described in a California Department of Health Services (CDHS) Standard Practice. The CHPS Low-Emitting Materials table is referenced in the California Green Building Code and in the Minnesota Sustainable Building Guidelines.

CHPS membership is composed of over 225 member organizations including government agencies, utility companies, school districts, non-profit organizations and private companies. While the program started in California, it has now expanded to other states, including New York, Washington, Maryland, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Maine, and Connecticut. Soon, Texas and Colorado will also adopt CHPS standards. CHPS School Districts include Los Angeles Unified School District, Burbank Unified School District, Coast Community College District, Dry Creek Joint Elementary School District, San Diego Unified School District, San Francisco Unified School District, San Marcos Unified School District, San Rafael City Schools, Visalia Unified School District, Natomas Unified School District, New Haven Unified School District, Ukiah Unified School District, Cajon Valley Union School District, Poway Unified School District, Palo Alto Unified School District, Oakland Unified School District, Roseland School District, Menlo Park City School District, Santa Ana Unified School District, West Contra Costa Unified School District, Santa Monica Malibu Unified School District, Long Beach Unified School District, Capistrano Unified School District, and Windsor Unified School District. The CHPS Board of Directors and Technical Committee consist of national representatives from a range of sectors involved in school design, construction and operation.