Green Services

CHPS
Collaborative for High Performance Schools
The Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS) is a private non-profit organization committed to providing the tools needed for a quality school facility. CHPS has created a set of design, maintenance, and operations guidelines for building environmentally sustainable schools. A High Performance School is resource efficient, healthy, comfortable, aesthetically pleasing and an optimal environment for learning. The school can serve as a learning tool for years to come.

In order to qualify as a high performance school, under the 2006 CHPS criteria, a new school must meet all of the prerequisites and earn at least 32 points, with a minimum of 2 points from the energy category. CHPS certification is a pass/fail criterion; however, pending legislation in CA will provide Construction Grants to Districts based upon the point total achieved. Under this program, meeting the CHPS certification could provide a grant up to 9% of the project budget.

Basic commissioning is a prerequisite (requirement) of CHPS certification. The following tasks are required:

• Design Intent Document
• Commissioning Plan
• Commissioning Specification
• Pre-Functional Testing
• Functional Testing
• Operator Training
• Systems Manual

Comprehensive commissioning will provide an additional 2 points towards the CHPS criteria. WCS/Ca can assist with project documentation to achieve CHPS certification and building commissioning to increase the CHPS credits earned.


LEED Services
The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) is coordinating the establishment and evolution of a national consensus effort to provide the industry with tools necessary to design, build and operate buildings that deliver high performance inside and out. The LEED Green Building System is a voluntary, consensus-based, market-driven building rating system based on existing proven technology. It evaluates environmental performance from a whole building perspective over a building’s life cycle, providing definitive standard for what constitutes a “green building”. It is a performance-oriented system where credits are earned for satisfying criterion designed to address specific environmental impacts inherent in the design, construction and O&M of buildings. Different levels of certification are awarded based on a point-credit system.

Basic Commissioning is a prerequisite requirement for LEED 2.2 certification including the following activities:

• OPR
• Cx Plan
• Basis of Design
• Cx Spec Development
• Functional Testing

Enhanced commissioning credit EA 3 will provide one additional credit towards the LEED criteria. WCS/Ca has LEED AP (accredited professionals) to assist in obtaining and documenting all of the LEED criteria.


Sample Projects
Retail: Alleghany Properties LLC, Natomas Crossing Quad C - Sacramento, California
Bank: CitiBank-New Bank Facility - Downey, California
Administration Building: Mark Twain Library - Long Beach, California
School: Santa Monica-Malibu USD - Santa Monica, California
Community College: Miramar Community College Hourglass Park Fieldhouse - San Diego, California