Healthy, High Performance School Facilities:
Developments in State Policy

Washington

Citation: Revised Code Washington Ch. 39.35D
Effective: Phased in between July 2006 and July 2008
Available: http://apps.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=39.35D&full=true

Under this law, all major facility projects of public school districts receiving any funding in a state capital budget must be designed and built in accordance with either the Washington Sustainable Schools Protocol (adapted from the California CHPS guidelines) or the LEED Silver standard. The law directs the state Superintendent for Public Instruction to develop rules to implement the law, as well as guidelines for using and verifying compliance with these two sets of building design criteria. [See Sustainable Schools Protocol and guidelines at http://www.k12.wa.us/SchFacilities/Programs/HighPerformanceSchoolBuildings.aspx.]

Under the law, school districts must document the costs, savings, and operating benefits resulting from high-performance design for a minimum of five years following funding. In addition, a legislative committee is required to complete a performance review of the new program by 2011, to include the costs and operational savings of high-performance building design and construction, as well as any impacts of high-performance buildings on student performance and worker productivity.