Washington’s High‐Performance  Schools

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Annual ConferenceAnnual Conference

Nancy Johns, Coordinator, High Performance Schools and Energy GrantsSchool Facilities and Organization, OSPI

US Buildings Impact on Resources

• 39% of total energy consumption

• 71% of electricity consumption

• 39% CO2 emissions

• 30% of raw material useage

• 30% of waste output• 18% of potable water consumption

Benefits of High Performance Buildings

• Economic Benefits– Reduce operating costs

• Environmental Benefits– Reduce the impacts of natural resource consumption

• Health and Safety Benefits– Enhance occupant comfort and health

• Community Benefits– Minimize strain on local infrastructures and improve 

quality of life

Why Schools• 55 million students

– 1 million in WA

• 5 million faculty and staff– 100 thousand faculty and 

staff in WA

• 20% of America’s  population

– 17% of WA’s population

Why Schools

• Environmental  Leadership

• Building Performance • Community Support• Occupant comfort and 

health• Utility Incentives and 

grant funding• Return on Investment 

over time

It’s the Law Since 2005

• RCW 39.35D – High performance public buildings

• State buildings, colleges & universities build to LEED silver standard

• State-funded K-12 schools build to WSSP or LEED silver standard

For K‐12 Schools

• Compliance is required for schools that:– Receive state funding– Over 5,000 square feet– Received project approval (D4) after

• July 2007 for Class I• July 2008 for Class II

– Modernizations if cost exceeds 50% of the  building assessed value

For K‐12 Schools

• Exemptions are available for schools that:– Are determined to be “not practicable”

• Bond Issue Date– Before June 2008 for Class I– Before June 2009 for Class II

– Special conditions and circumstances making it  impossible to certify

• Site environmental, products availability, other

– Historic Landmark

An explanatory letter is required

What is a High Performance School

• Energy and material efficient• Healthy, safe and secure• Comfortable, durable, adaptable• Commissioned• Responsive to site• Community resource• Stimulating architecture• Easy to maintain and operate• A building that teaches

High Performance Standards

SocialEconomic Environmental

Standards exist to guide districts into making these 

choices

Choose Your Standard

• Leadership in Energy  and Environmental 

Design  ‐

LEED for  New Construction

• LEED for Schools

• US and 25 other  countries 

• Second‐party  certified

• Soft costs

• WA K‐12 schools• Self certified• More casual

• Washington  Sustainable Schools 

Protocol ‐

WSSP

What is WSSP

• Washington Sustainable School Protocol– Created because of interest by school districts

• Needed a planning tool• Wanted choice, control, less cost• Preferred school specific (CHPS)

– Developed and updated by stakeholders– Became state law in 2005– Administered by OSPI – Self-certified

2010 WSSP Scorecard Categories

1. Site: Selection, transportation, stormwater, outdoor surfaces, roofs, joint use

2. Water: Potable and irrigation

3. Materials: Recycled and recycling, reuse, salvaged

4. Energy: Efficiency, management, commissioning

5. Indoor Environmental Quality: Daylight, IAQ, acoustics, thermal comfort, user controls

6. Planning, Education, Operations: Learning Opportunities, O & M

Site Selection

• 3 required credits– Code compliance

– Sedimentation and erosion control

– Enhanced stormwater

treatment

• 17 points to choose from– Joint use of sites, public transportation– Light pollution, heat island roofs– Bicycle lanes and security, minimal footprint

Water

• 1 required credit– Outdoor water use budget

• 9 points to choose from– Irrigation water reduction or system testing

– Potable water use reduction– Potable water use reduction for sewage

Materials

• 1 required credit• Storage and collection of recyclables

• 18 points to choose from– Construction waste management

– Materials reuse, recycled content

– Certified wood– Regional/local materials

Energy

• 3 required credits– Minimum energy performance

– Daylight‐responsive controls– Fundamental commissioning

• 27 or 34 points to choose from– Renewable energy, enhanced commissioning

– Superior energy performance

– Energy management system

Indoor Environmental Quality

• 4 required credits– Minimum ventilation, filtration & moisture control– Ducted HVAC Returns (246‐336A)– Minimum acoustics– Thermal comfort compliance

• 29 points to choose from– Low emitting finishes, natural cooling, source 

control, improved acoustics, user controlled  windows

Planning, Education & Operations

• 2 required credits– Operational performance monitoring

– ELCCA *• 12 points to choose from

– Green building learning opportunities– Post occupancy evaluation– Operational activities

• Resource conservation plan, fuel efficient buses

Whole Classroom Design Approach

WSSP Working Documents

• WSSP Manual

• WSSP Work Plan and Costing Workbook– Scorecard Work Plan

– Scorecard Costing Analysis– Design Premiums

• WSSP Annual Reporting Workbook– School Information Sheet

– Energy and Water Use

– Operations and Maintenance Impacts & Observations

WSSP Certification Reporting 

• Embedded in the D‐Form Process • Use Work Plan and Costing Workbook• D2  Consider High Performance requirements in 

Study and Survey• D3  Indicate which standard or request 

exemption• D5  Submit preliminary high performance 

workplan• D9  Submit final design workplan• D11  Submit final workplan

and certification letter

WSSP Annual Reporting 

• Use the WSSP Annual Reporting Workbook  by districts

– Due annually in June beginning one year after  Board Acceptance 

– For five years

– Use the same workbook all 5 years

OSPI Reporting to the State

• Annually in even years 2006 through 2016• Next report due September 2012

• Incremental costs

• Professional services costs• Energy and water savings• Maintenance and operations observations

Our Current Challenges

• Obtaining accurate data on incremental cost

• Providing complete annual reports

• Sharing data and results • Reporting data and results 

Thank You

QuestionsCommentsSuggestionsFollow up

Nancy Johns, 

Coordinator, OSPI School Facilities and 

Organizationnancy.johns@K12.wa.us

or 360‐725‐4973