Healthy, High Performance School Facilities:
Developments in State Policy

Rhode Island

Citation: R.I. Dept. of Education School Construction Regulations, R.I. Code of Reg. 08 010 015
Effective: May 2007
Available: HERE

The Rhode Island Department of Education has incorporated into its school construction regulations a requirement that new construction and renovation projects that cost $500,000 or more and that seek state funding must “comply with all requirements set forth in the most recent Northeast Collaborative for High Performance Schools Protocol (Northeast-CHPS), so that approved projects provide high quality learning environments, conserve natural resources, consume less energy, are easier to maintain, and provide an enhanced school facility.” (RIDE Section 1.04-1) The Northeast-CHPS guidance document is based on the original California CHPS, but is tailored “to the climate zones and school construction needs of the states in the Northeast...” [See Northeast-CHPS at http://neep.org/uploads/policy/NE-CHPS%202%20FINAL.pdf.]

In 2009, the Rhode Island legislature enacted a law (R.I. Statutes §37-24-4) requiring major facility projects of state agencies and public school districts to meet green building standards. Under the law, school district projects must meet either the LEED Certified or Northeast-CHPS standard. According to state officials, the Department of Education continues to implement its regulation requiring schools that receive state funding to comply with Northeast-CHPS.