High Performance Criteria and Rating Program for Relocatable Classrooms Now Available

July 29, 2009 (San Francisco, CA) - The Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS) has released the 2009 Edition of its high performance rating Criteria for Relocatable Classrooms. This innovative resource provides tools for manufacturers, school districts and design teams to specify, build and acquire high performance relocatable classrooms. Joining the CHPS family of assessment tools, the resource includes a design section and scorecard to assess and certify high performance relocatables. Modernizations of existing relocatable classrooms will also be recognized through this new system.

“With the release of these new Criteria, CHPS hopes to provide opportunities for school districts that must deal with the realities of rapid growth or aging relocatable classroom fleets,” said Bill Orr, CHPS executive director. “This is another step towards providing high performance learning environments for all America’s schoolchildren.”

The Relocatable Criteria includes guidance on superior energy and indoor environmental quality performance features not found in the typical portable classroom including the latest in lighting, daylighting and HVAC system design. Manufacturers have the option to design relocatable classrooms according to the revised bid specifications provided in the manual or to assess their existing designs against the new Relocatable Criteria.

The Relocatable Criteria contains three divisions of recognition, each with its own minimum threshold: (1) manufacturers building high performance relocatables, (2) school districts looking to procure or lease a high performance relocatable and (3) a separate track for those schools with an existing stock of relocatables looking to modernize them into high performance relocatables.

"The Relocatable Criteria provides flexibility for a unique classroom type that is part of nearly every school campus across the country" said Tom Hardiman of the Modular Building Institute. “This program will help connect schools with manufacturers who provide high performance facilities."

The assessment tool is available for projects in California and nationwide with alternative credits available for the California Title 24 and ASHRAE 90.1 energy code compliance paths. Similar to the CHPS Designed rating program, the relocatable recognition program is free to use, does not require third-party certification and requires minimal effort to complete. Any freestanding relocatable classroom less than 2,000 square feet is eligible to seek recognition under this program. Scorecards are available once a project is registered.

CHPS believes that Relocatable classrooms can be equivalent learning environments to high performance classrooms with careful planning and incorporation of the right features, construction techniques and site placement. For more information, please visit the CHPS website at or click here to download a copy of the 2009 CHPS Relocatable Classroom Volume and Assessment Tool.

CHPS is a 501(c)(3) non-profit headquartered in San Francisco.