The Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS)
CHPS is a nonprofit that operates the only K-12-specific high-performance building rating system in the United States, certifying school projects for energy efficiency, indoor air quality, daylighting, and resource stewardship for districts, architects, manufacturers, and consultants.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1999
- Headquarters—
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What The Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS) does
The Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS) is a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit founded in 1999 by California state agencies and major utilities to develop the only K-12-specific high-performance building rating system in the United States. CHPS certifies school projects as CHPS Designed, Verified, or Verified Leader based on criteria covering energy efficiency, indoor air quality, daylighting, and resource stewardship; regional variants exist for Virginia, Texas, Hawaii, California, and the Northeast, and a national criteria set launched in 2016 now serves all U.S. states. The organization monetizes through recurring organization membership fees (school districts, architects, manufacturers, consultants) and one-time per-project certification fees, with additional sponsorship revenue from industry partners backing programs such as the 2024 Minor Renovation Program for flooring, HVAC, and lighting upgrades.
CHPS also maintains a Pre-approved Materials Database, an Operations Report Card for existing schools, a monthly newsletter, and a Community Change Grant Toolkit co-developed with USGBC. The organization has certified 800+ projects across 11 states with 70+ school districts, and four of the top 25 largest U.S. school districts require CHPS compliance. Rhode Island mandates CHPS, while Massachusetts and Colorado tie state funding to CHPS-certified projects. As of June 24, 2025, CHPS was absorbed into the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) as part of the Center for Green Schools; CHPS certification will remain available for registered projects through June 30, 2027 before transitioning to LEED-based frameworks, with a new Green School Design Collaborative being formed under USGBC leadership as a successor body.
The Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS) firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS)
- Legal name
- Collaborative for High Performance Schools, Inc.
- Website
- https://chps.net
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1999
- Operating status
- Acquired
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- CHPS is a nonprofit that operates the only K-12-specific high-performance building rating system in the United States, certifying school projects for energy efficiency, indoor air quality, daylighting, and resource stewardship for districts, architects, manufacturers, and consultants.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS) industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Green Building Certification
- akta.pro primary industry
- Education Standards Enforcement & Compliance Units (EDADAAAL)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Architecture, Construction & Building Codes Reference (Design, BIM, Safety Codes) (EDAGAGAH)
Keywords
The Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS) business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Membership Fees: CHPS offers membership programs for organizations including school districts, architectural firms, manufacturers, and consultants. Members receive access to resources, certification services, and marketing benefits including use of CHPS name and logo on materials.
- Certification Fees: School projects pay certification fees for CHPS Designed, Verified, and Verified Leader certifications. Projects transitioning to LEED prior to June 30, 2027 pay fees per CHPS fee schedule.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Organization Membership |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels4 records
The Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS) product offering
Product offeringCore offering
CHPS develops and operates a K-12 school-specific green building rating system that certifies schools as high-performance learning environments across energy efficiency, indoor air quality, daylighting, and resource stewardship. It also offers the Minor Renovation Program, Operations Report Card, and a Pre-approved Materials Database, with regional criteria variants and an organizational membership program for school districts, architects, manufacturers, and consultants.
Product overview
CHPS offers a suite of school-focused green building and facilities programs, anchored by its flagship CHPS Rating System for certifying high-performance schools (over 800 certified projects nationwide). The portfolio includes the Minor Renovation Program (a first-of-its-kind national standard for smaller school renovation projects such as flooring, HVAC, and lighting), the Operations Report Card for existing schools, and a Pre-approved Materials Database. CHPS also publishes a monthly newsletter and grant writing toolkits. Regional variants cover Virginia, Texas, Hawaii, California, and the Northeast, while a national criteria set launched in 2016 serves all U.S. states. As of June 24, 2025, CHPS has merged with USGBC's Center for Green Schools, with CHPS certification available through June 30, 2027 before transitioning to LEED-based certification.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Minor Renovations Program: A first-of-its-kind program aimed at ensuring healthy, high-performance school design is the norm, focusing on improving key building systems and components such as flooring, HVAC, and lighting that affect student well-being and energy use.
Products and services
- CHPS Rating System / CHPS Certification A school-specific green building rating system that certifies K-12 schools as high-performance learning environments based on criteria covering energy efficiency, indoor air quality, daylighting, and resource stewardship. Projects receive CHPS Designed, Verified, or Verified Leader designations. The program is available to registered projects until June 30, 2027 as CHPS transitions to USGBC and LEED.
- Minor Renovation Program A first-of-its-kind national program creating project standards for smaller K-12 school renovation projects (flooring, HVAC, lighting) that lack existing industry standards. Developed in partnership with industry sponsors and school districts, the program provides best-practice guidance for projects with limited staff, funding, and access to best practices.
- Operations Report Card An assessment tool for existing schools to evaluate their operational performance and identify areas for improvement in building operations and maintenance against CHPS standards.
- CHPS Pre-approved Materials Database A curated database of materials pre-approved under CHPS criteria, helping school districts and project teams identify compliant building materials for high-performance school construction.
- Community Change Grant Toolkit Grant writing tools, training, and direct coaching resources for school districts pursuing EPA Community Change Grants ($10-20 million per project) for climate action and pollution reduction in disadvantaged communities. Developed jointly with USGBC's Center for Green Schools, ASBO, and NREA.
Quantifiable outcome
- 53% of public schools need to invest in repairs, renovations, and modernizations to put buildings in good overall condition
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use The Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS)
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
The Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS) technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
The Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS) partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
14 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.
- U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC)flagshipCHPS officially joined USGBC as of June 24, 2025, becoming an integral part of the Center for Green Schools. This merger combines resources and expertise to better serve students, school administrators, and design teams.
- DalTile CorporationcoreDalTile joined as Catalyst-level sponsor for the Minor Renovation Program, playing a key role in developing the flooring component. DalTile is dedicated to helping CHPS create a one-stop-shop school infrastructure.
- Mohawk GroupcoreMohawk Group joined as partner for the Minor Renovation Program, contributing flooring expertise to the program.
- Shaw ContractcoreShaw Contract is a program partner for the Minor Renovation Program, contributing expertise in sustainable flooring solutions for schools.
- TarkettcoreTarkett, a major flooring company, signed on as Visionary-level sponsor for the Minor Renovation Program. Tarkett's participation initiated the program's first pilot school project type: flooring. Tarkett has flooring expertise critical to healthy schools.
- School Superintendents Association (AASA)flagshipCHPS co-hosted the High Performance Schools Summit 2023 with AASA and Sourcewell in Denver, combining industry speakers with hands-on workshops.
- Salas O'BriencoreEngineering and consulting firm Salas O'Brien signed on as Visionary-level sponsor with a seat on the Steering Committee, playing a critical role in shaping the Minor Renovation Program.
- Quattrocchi Kwok Architects (QKA)coreQKA, a design firm passionate about education and healthy school design, joined as Visionary-level sponsor for the Minor Renovation Program, bringing extensive experience with CHPS projects.
- SourcewellcoreSourcewell (a self-sustaining government organization authorized by the State of Minnesota) partnered with CHPS to launch the Minor Renovation Program in August 2023. Sourcewell serves as a government procurement partner enabling school districts to access high-performance materials and products through coordinated purchasing.
- HMC ArchitectsminorHMC Architects is a member organization and 100% employee-owned firm that has designed multiple CHPS Verified projects including Rancho Campana High School. The firm aims to create future-focused, healthy, resilient schools.
- RNT ArchitectsminorRNT Architects (Roesling Nakamura Terada) is a California-based member committed to sustainable design and healthy learning with many CHPS-certified projects.
- The Green EngineerminorA consulting firm based in Massachusetts focused on sustainable design, construction and operations, offering CHPS certification project management services using Northeast CHPS criteria.
- IN2ArchitectureminorA Dallas, Texas firm dedicated to elevating design and sustainability of educational spaces, led by Irene Nigaglioni who serves on CHPS Board of Directors.
- Bryan ConstructionminorA Colorado-based contractor with over 30 years of experience and more than 2,500 projects, specializing in K-12 and higher education construction and renovation.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
The Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS) competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- New Buildings Institute (NBI): Nonprofit that advances energy-efficient and zero-energy/carbon buildings through standards, policy, and tools. Comparable as a nonprofit working on high-performance building performance with overlapping technical content and policy advocacy.
- International Living Future Institute (ILFI): Administers the Living Building Challenge and other regenerative building certifications. Comparable as an alternative building certification/standards body targeting the most ambitious sustainability performance benchmarks.
- Architecture 2030: Nonprofit focused on the building sector's role in climate change and the 2030 Challenge for carbon-neutral buildings. Comparable as a mission-driven nonprofit setting performance targets and standards for buildings, including school facilities.
- International WELL Building Institute (IWBI): Administers the WELL Building Standard, focused on occupant health and indoor environmental quality—overlapping directly with CHPS's indoor air quality and daylighting criteria and increasingly used alongside LEED on school and campus projects.
Direct peers
- Green Building Initiative (GBI): Operates the Green Globes certification program, a direct alternative to LEED for green building certification in North America. Comparable as an alternative standards/certification body competing for the same project teams and owners.
- U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC): Operates LEED, the dominant U.S. green building rating system, and now includes CHPS within its Center for Green Schools. Most directly comparable as a green building standards and certification body and now the parent organization of CHPS.
- Association for Learning Environments (A4LE): Formerly CEFPI, this is the leading nonprofit association dedicated to planning, designing, and equipping educational facilities. Highly comparable as a K-12-focused facilities standards and community organization with overlapping membership base.
Regional players
- BRE Group (BREEAM): UK-based organization operating the BREEAM green building certification, widely used in Europe and increasingly in international school and campus projects. Comparable as an established green building certification body, though serving a different primary geography.
Others
- ASHRAE: Global standards-setting body for HVAC, ventilation, and indoor air quality whose standards underpin much of the technical content in CHPS criteria. Comparable as an adjacent standards organization whose work directly informs CHPS's energy and IAQ requirements.
- Healthy Schools Network: National nonprofit advocating for healthy, safe, and environmentally sound school facilities. Comparable as a K-12-focused nonprofit working on the same environmental health and equity issues, though primarily through advocacy rather than certification.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
The Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS) social profiles
Digital presenceThe Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS) financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS) leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
The Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS) funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS) M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS)
What does The Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS) do?
CHPS develops and operates a K-12 school-specific green building rating system that certifies schools as high-performance learning environments across energy efficiency, indoor air quality, daylighting, and resource stewardship. It also offers the Minor Renovation Program, Operations Report Card, and a Pre-approved Materials Database, with regional criteria variants and an organizational membership program for school districts, architects, manufacturers, and consultants.
When was The Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS) founded?
The Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS) was founded in 1999. It employs 11 to 50 people.
How does The Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS) make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Membership Fees are the primary driver. The others are certification Fees.
Who are The Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS)'s main competitors?
Emerging players on record are New Buildings Institute (NBI), International Living Future Institute (ILFI), Architecture 2030 and International WELL Building Institute (IWBI). Direct peers are Green Building Initiative (GBI), U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and Association for Learning Environments (A4LE). BRE Group (BREEAM) is listed as a regional player. Others are ASHRAE and Healthy Schools Network.
Does The Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS) have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS).
What industry is The Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS) in?
The Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS)'s product category is Green Building Certification. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDADAAAL, Education Standards Enforcement & Compliance Units, with a secondary code of EDAGAGAH, Architecture, Construction & Building Codes Reference (Design, BIM, Safety Codes).