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Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS)

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General

What is the Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS), and why is it becoming part of USGBC?

Founded in 1999 as a catalyst for California's state agencies and major utilities to address energy efficiency in schools and help reduce energy costs in K12 education facilities in the United States, CHPS has since expanded its work to address all aspects of high-performance school design, construction, and operation nationwide. To build on their 20-year commitment to supporting U.S. schools, CHPS is becoming part of the Center for Green Schools at the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). Together, the organizations aim to expand their reach and impact in advancing healthy, green schools. See the press release announcing the transition for more information.

How can I be involved in USGBC’s effort to envision and stand up a green school design collaborative?

The Center for Green Schools, with leadership from the team joining from CHPS, is calling for input and partnership to develop a new collaborative for green school design excellence to support a growing movement to improve school infrastructure. We envision a collaborative that will convene stakeholders from K12 school districts and the building industry to translate research for the K12 audience, create practical tools for the field, and set ambitious goals for the future of green school design. If you and/or your organization would like to be involved in envisioning and structuring this collaborative, please fill out this simple form to let us know.

We are a CHPS Minor Renovations program sponsor. What is the future of that program?

CHPS’ Minor Renovations program will continue to be supported during the transition. When CHPS and USGBC first began exploring a partnership, the Minor Renovations program stood out as a compelling and impactful initiative aligned with USGBC’s goals. We’re committed to keeping sponsors informed and involved as we shape the program’s future within the USGBC framework, and we’ll provide ongoing updates and support throughout the transition.

Membership

What happens to our CHPS private organization membership?

Organizations with current CHPS paid memberships will automatically get one year of complimentary USGBC Membership, at the level proportional to the cost of your CHPS membership. If you are already a paying USGBC member, your membership will be extended at no cost for a length of time proportional to the cost of your CHPS membership. Each current CHPS member will receive communication directly through USGBC’s membership team, explaining your new membership. View USGBC member benefits.

What happens to our CHPS school district membership?

School district members of CHPS will automatically get a USGBC Organizational Membership for two years. View USGBC member benefits.

CHPS certification

What happens to projects already registered or in progress under CHPS?

Projects that have registered with CHPS will have two years to complete the CHPS verification process. All projects currently registered or in progress will continue to be supported through the two-year period. During and after this transition period, all new projects are invited to register to pursue LEED certification. On June 30, 2027, CHPS Designed, Verified, and Verified Leader certifications will no longer be offered. 

If your project was planning to pursue CHPS certification but was not yet registered, please reach out to us at schools@usgbc.org, and we will find a solution that works for your school or school district. We remain dedicated to honoring existing project commitments and will provide clear guidance to help teams successfully complete their work.

We have a policy that references CHPS certification. How does this change impact our policy, and what support can you provide to help with a transition?

During this two-year phase-out of the CHPS certification program, we will work with school districts every step of the way to help you determine what the best next step is for your building program. We’re working to leverage the hard work and expertise that went into creating the CHPS certification program by adding elements of the CHPS criteria to LEED’s priority credit library. We will provide clear guidance, resources, and personalized support to help you evolve from a CHPS-based requirement policy to one aligned with LEED—without disrupting your current goals or requirements.

Are there changes to how we pursue CHPS certification and how we get help with our certification?

For the two-year period when CHPS certification is available, there will be no changes to how project teams pursue CHPS certification or access support. We will continue to provide the same level of guidance and review services throughout the transition period. Teams for current, registered projects can expect the same CHPS process and assistance they have relied on.

Will existing CHPS projects be allowed to finish under the current system?

Existing CHPS projects will be allowed to finish the verification process as long as project teams submit all documentation before June 30, 2027, the final submission date.

If our project can’t finish before the deadline, will our CHPS-approved credits transfer to LEED?

No, credits will not automatically transfer to LEED. However, our staff will provide you with additional assistance on assessing how your current documentation will transfer to LEED credit documentation.

If we switch to LEED, will we get a refund on our current investment in CHPS?

If you decide to transition your current CHPS project to pursue LEED certification instead, USGBC will honor CHPS certification pricing until the project completes its LEED certification. In other words, if a project is already registered as a CHPS project but has not yet been submitted for design review, it can transition to LEED certification at no additional cost. Its registration fee will be waived, as a registration fee was already paid to register for CHPS. Its design and construction review fees will follow the CHPS review fee schedule until the project completes its certification, regardless of whether that certification extends past the CHPS sunset date of June 30, 2027. CHPS projects that transition to LEED prior to June 30, 2027 will pay certification fees per CHPS fee schedule. After June 30, 2027, any CHPS projects transitioning to LEED will pay LEED fees applicable at that time.

Our project was certified to CHPS criteria or is pursuing certification under CHPS. Can we still use the designation?

Yes, if your project was previously CHPS-certified or is submitted within the deadline for final review—and ultimately approved—it is officially recognized as a CHPS-certified school and will remain so in perpetuity.

What is our plaque going to look like?

Your CHPS-certified plaque will be provided to you as planned and with a similar design. The only change will be a reference to USGBC near the CHPS logo.

Who can we contact for technical support?

For support, please contact our team directly at schools@usgbc.org. Inquiries regarding certification will be directed to Alex Buchanan, a LEED Accredited Professional with a background in architecture and engineering who has led the CHPS review process for over four years. Alex, along with technical team members Mikayla Poulin-Gilbert and Twishi Shah, will continue to provide expert guidance and assistance to CHPS users throughout the transition

Overlap between CHPS and LEED

Where is the overlap between CHPS and LEED, by credit?

There is substantial overlap between the CHPS and LEED rating systems, view an overview. A detailed credit-by-credit comparison is available on request. 

CHPS and LEED certification share common goals and similar technical requirements, particularly in the areas of energy efficiency, indoor air quality, daylighting, and resource stewardship. CHPS, as a school-specific program, includes a larger number of requirements and emphasis areas that are directly tailored to K12 educational environments. While the structure and documentation approach differ, there is substantial alignment in credit intent and performance outcomes between the two systems.

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