Welcome to the New Hampshire Partnership for High Performance Schools.  NHPHPS is an initiative of The Jordan Institute, a science-based, non-advocacy, nonprofit organization, aimed at encouraging and integrating the health of New Hampshire’s citizens, their environment, and their economy.

The Problem
Today the majority of New Hampshire’s 200,000+ public-school students and 15,000+ teachers struggle under the discomfort and distraction of drafty rooms, inadequate lighting, noisy heating and ventilation systems, and poor indoor air quality. Meanwhile administrators, parents, and taxpayers must address increases in absenteeism, teacher dissatisfaction, increased energy costs, operational costs, liability exposure, and mitigation of environmental impacts. On average, $165 million is spent annually on school construction in the state, yet despite this enormous investment, many taxpayers are not getting their money’s worth in terms of quality and performance over the life of these buildings.

The Solution
With 70% of its schools in service for 36 years or longer, New Hampshire faces tremendous opportunity as its municipalities look to construct new schools and retrofit existing spaces. High performance schools employ proactive, cost-effective, and integrated design and operational strategies and technologies that result in productive, healthy, efficient, and responsible educational centers in our communities. These schools serve to maximize the value of our tax dollars, support the efforts of our educators, improve the potential of our children, and conserve the diversity and resources of our natural environment.

Our mission to maximize the number of high performance schools built in New Hampshire over the next decade is inspired by the success of other states and communities. Studies conducted in California, Colorado, and Washington schools confirmed an anticipated correlation between certain attributes of high performance schools and student performance. Districts with high performance schools, including those in Maine and Boscawen, NH, report increased attendance, improved teacher satisfaction and retention, and reduced operating costs, liability exposure, and environmental impacts.

NEW on November 19, 2007:  RFP for school energy use assessments.  Click here to download the document.  The Jordan Institute, and its Partnership for High Performance Schools, is offering support for school facility energy assessments.  Deadline for applications:  Friday, December 14, 2007.