East Kapolei Middle School Will be the First School Campus in the State of Hawaii Public School System to Achieve CHPS Verified Recognition

Ferraro Choi And Associates Ltd. with collaborating Seattle-based architectural firm The Miller Hull Partnership are in the process of designing East Kapolei Middle School, a highly sustainable new school seeking Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS) Verified recognition. Achieving CHPS Verified status for an entire campus will be a first for the Department of Education, and potentially a first for the nation.

CHPS criteria define high performance for schools in terms of healthy environment, thermal comfort, energy and water conservation and ease of operations and maintenance. Unlike the LEED rating system, CHPS was developed specifically for schools. The Department of Education (DOE) adopted the CHPS rating system in 2012 with modifications to suit the Hawaii climate and the DOE system.

“A thermally comfortable, flexible, student-centric classroom will contribute to better learning outcomes for students and sustainable building design is key to lower maintenance and operational costs” says Ferraro Choi Principal in Charge, Bill Brooks, AIA.

Located in East Kapolei near the planned station for the HART fixed rail system and across Maunakapu Street from Kroc Center Hawaii, the 18 acre campus will serve an initial enrollment of 1,050 students in one of the fastest-growing communities on Oahu.

“Middle school students learn in a variety of ways, so we are designing a diverse palette of educational settings conducive to both active and reflective learning “, says Project Manager, Mark Ayers, AIA.