CHPS develops criteria for Texas school facilities

The Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS) is developing a new assessment tool for green schools in Texas that is now available for public review. The Texas CHPS Criteria (TX-CHPS) creates a benchmark for the design and construction of Texas high-performance school buildings. "Given the amount of new school construction in Texas and with Texas schools serving more than 6.5 million students, it was imperative that a state-specific assessment tool be made available to school districts who want to invest wisely in green, healthy, high performance schools," says Charles Eley, executive director of CHPS. A Texas-based advisory committee developed TX-CHPS, adapting it to the unique regulations and conditions in the state. TX-CHPS applies to new schools and major modernizations of existing campuses. Comments on the criteria are due by Nov. 21, and schools will be able to begin using TX-CHPS in 2009.