Colorado CHPS Criteria Released for Second Public Review

For immediate release
Please contact: Ariel Dekovic, 415-970-6604, ariel@chps.net

June 2, 2009 (San Francisco) - The Colorado CHPS Criteria (known as CO-CHPS) was released for a 15-day second public review ending on June 16th, 2009. For the past two months the Colorado CHPS Advisory Committee reviewed over 100 comments from school stakeholders in Colorado and nationally. A significant number of changes were made based on stakeholder comments.

“We were pleased with public participation in the first review of the CO-CHPS Criteria,” said Charles Eley, executive director of CHPS. “We believe these comments have strengthened CO-CHPS and that ultimately we will be able to deliver a clearer and more effective tool to the schools and districts of Colorado.”

This new CO-CHPS draft improves the eligibility and recognition section to be more user-friendly. The daylighting and flex energy credits were overhauled, while minor, but important changes were made to several additional credit requirements and implementation procedures. In addition, two new credit options were added on microclimates, and water management systems.

While the full CO-CHPS Criteria is available for download with track changes, the committee is only accepting comments on credits that were added, deleted, or substantially changed. These credits are listed on the CHPS website. All stakeholders are encouraged to submit comments during the second public review period.

The Colorado CHPS Criteria is expected to be released for public use in late summer of 2009. CO-CHPS sets the standard for high performance school construction in Colorado through a flexible, comprehensive rating system. Colorado has joined a growing list of states nationally that have developed state specific high performance school standards, created for the unique codes and regulations, climates, opportunities, and local priorities of the state. CO-CHPS distinguishes itself through its aggressive 16 prerequisites that set a high bar not only for K-12 school design and operation in Colorado, but nationally.

Colorado CHPS’ prerequisites, which are strategies that are required of participating schools, set the most stringent bar yet for any CHPS state. The committee's strong interest in operational savings and green house gas emission reduction strategies led to focus on expanding and enhancing the CHPS energy category. Participating Colorado schools will have to perform 25% better than the ASHRAE 90.1-2007 baseline and perform enhanced commissioning measures. A new concept called FLEX Energy, developed by the CO-CHPS committee, provides schools with the tools to design facilities prepared to affordably adapt to changing energy economic scenarios. CO-CHPS is also the first Criteria to make use of CHPS’ well-known low-emitting materials credit as a prerequisite for all schools emphasizing the need for improved indoor air quality.

The CO-CHPS Criteria can be downloaded and commented on here. This is the second public review period and comments are due by June 16, 2009. Colorado schools will be able to use CO-CHPS after the public review period has been completed and the CO-Criteria is approved by the CHPS Board of Directors. For more information about CO-CHPS Criteria, click here.