Are you new to high performance schools? We've got a lot of information for you. You can learn, share, and collaborate with thousands of people in the growing green schools movement.

Introduction to CHPS

Watch our video, Introduction to CHPS - Building Healthy High Performance Schools, which explores the various resources and programs CHPS offers, the CHPS implementation roadmap, upcoming resources that are under development at CHPS, the newest states developing CHPS programs, and various examples of the programs CHPS offers.

Good teachers and motivated students can overcome inadequate facilities and perform at a high level almost anywhere, but a well-designed facility can truly enhance performance and make education more enjoyable and rewarding. Students and teachers shouldn't have to fight against their own classrooms to have a productive learning experience. We want all schools to be:

  • Healthy
  • Comfortable
  • Energy Efficient
  • Material Efficient
  • Easy to Maintain & Operate
  • Commissioned
  • Environmentally Responsive
  • Teaching Sites
  • Safe & Secure
  • Community Resources
  • Architecturally Stimulating
  • Adaptable to Changing Needs

Getting Started

Learn more about high performance school opportunities:

Affiliate your business, school, or district with CHPS:

Register a school project:

Learn how to become a CHPS School:

CHPS Resources

CHPS offers resources – many are free resources – to schools, school districts, and practitioners in all aspects of high performance school design, construction, and operation for every phase and type of project. CHPS develops tools that help make schools energy, water, and material efficient, well-lit, thermally comfortable, acoustically sound, safe, healthy, and easy to operate. These resources include: CHPS criteria guidelines, high performance product listings, a well-respected six-volume best practices manual, trainings and conferences, and other tools for creating healthy, green schools. Whether you are planning, designing, operating, specifying for, commissioning, or maintaining a school, we can help you to implement best practices every step of the way.

    CHPS Criteria

    CHPS provides assessment tools for new construction, major modernizations, and relocatable classrooms. Looking for your state's CHPS Criteria? This is where you will find them.

    High Performance Products Listings

    CHPS has partnered with Sustainable Minds and Zero Docs to provide the most reliable and up-to-date resources for high performance products. You can search in these databases for available products that help schools meet CHPS, and other green building criteria, and deliver environmental and health benefits to their occupants.

    Best Practices Manual

    The CHPS Best Practices Manual was developed to help schools, districts, and practitioners to achieve high performance design, construction, and operation.

    CHPS Programs

    Recognition Programs

    CHPS oversees the nation's first green building rating program especially designed for K-12 schools. Schools can self-certify their school through CHPS Designed™, a self-certification program, or seek third-party verification of their high performance school through CHPS Verified™. The CHPS PreFAB™ program is a manufacturer certification program.

    • CHPS Designed™ for school buildings that get a simpler, administrative review during design and construction.
    • CHPS Verified™ for school buildings that get a comprehensive technical review of their design and construction approaches. 
    • CHPS PreFAB™ a special program for manufacturers to certify their pre-fabricated building components.

    The Operations Report Card (ORC)

    The CHPS Operations Report Card (ORC) is an online tool that helps schools and districts to benchmark the current performance of existing schools. It provides a report card of results and makes suggestions for improvement.