High Performance Incentive (HPI) Program

Proposition 1D set aside $100 million for the High Performance Incentive (HPI) program to promote the use of high performance attributes in new construction and modernization projects for K-12 schools. These attributes include using design and materials that promote energy and water efficiency, minimize and treat runoff after construction, maximize the use of natural lighting, minimize parking lots, improve indoor air quality, use recycled materials and materials that emit a minimum of toxic substances, and employ acoustics that aid in teaching and learning.

The HPI amount will be based on the points attained by the district within the following five categories:

• Site
• Water
• Energy
• Materials
• Indoor Environmental Quality

The Division of the State Architect's High Performance Section (HPS) will verify the HPI rating criteria to determine the number of points the project receives. These points are multiplied by a percentage factor which will ultimately provide an increase to the project's base grant ranging from two to ten percent.

Submit documents to:

High Performance Section
Division of the State Architect
1102 Q Street, Suite 5100
Sacramento, CA 95811-6550

DSA/HPS Contact person:

Lydia Barron, Architectural Associate
LEED Accredited Professional, CABEC Certified

Division of the State Architect
1102 Q Street, Suite 5100
Sacramento, CA 95811-6550
(916) 327-0535
Lydia.Barron@dgs.ca.gov

DSA/HPS Supervisor:

Theresa Townsend, AIA
Supervising Architect
LEED Accredited Professional
(916) 445-1304
Theresa.Townsend@dgs.ca.gov

HPI Review Application and Qualifications:

The applicant needs to do the following to qualify for a HPI grant review:

• Check box 16b on the DSA-1 form to trigger an HPI plan review
• Project needs to be eligible for construction by Office of Public School Construction (OPSC)
• Project needs to be partially or fully funded by the State of California

DSA Required Documents for HPI Submittals:

• HPI Scorecard (PDF - 84 KB) - for all projects accepted by DSA. Revised 11/01/09
• Checklist for High Performance Incentive (HPI) Projects (PDF - 44 KB) Revised 02/07/10

Helpful Information:

1. Sample HPI submission, West Placer Middle School, is available for review. Please request a copy via e-mail to the DSA/HPS Contact person: Lydia.Barron@dgs.ca.gov.
   
   
2. HPI Calculators (as of June, 2008):
   
   • 2006 - New Campus (Excel - 29 KB)
   • 2006 - Additions (Excel - 29 KB)
   • 2006 - Modernization (Excel - 29 KB)
   
   

For definitions of "Severe" and "Non-Severe" see Form SAB 50-02: Existing School Building Capacity available on the OPSC Forms page.

Calculators are an estimate of the potential grant amounts and providedas a courtesy only. DSA is not responsible for the accuracy or applicability of calculator results.

What's New

November 2009

Streamlining HPI Submittals

We are making some adjustments to the way we have accepted projects in the past. Now that this program has been in place for 2 years, the DSA is making recommendations on how to streamline your submittal for the High Performance Incentive (HPI) Grant. Remember to submit your HPI documents directly to our Headquarters Office (HQ) simultaneously with your FLS, AC & SS submittals to your regional office. The HPS staff will start your review by confirming your compliance with Title 24, Part 6. If you need time for the HPI documentation, you can have up to six weeks to send in your final scorecard and related HPI documentation. This is effective immediately and will insure that your plan review is complete at the time of your back-check appointment.

Here are the submittal timelines:

1. Sent to DSA/HQ at the same time as the DSA/regional office submittal for SS, FLS and AC:
   
   • HPI Scorecard
   • Energy Code Compliance documents (Title 24, Part 6)
   • Construction documents with specifications
   
   
2. Optional: Up to six weeks later:
   
   • Documentation for each HPI credit
   
   
3. Prior to the time of your back check appointment:
   
   • Title 24 sheets need to have an DSA/HPS identification stamp with a signature by our HPS staff
   
   

Helpful HPI Documentation Tips

HPI documentation is simply a way to communicate how you approached each HPI credit. Here are some of the new HPI program changes and recommendations to reduce the HPI documentation:

• Provide the specification section on your HPI scorecard. There's no need to provide a hard copy of a specification section since you will submit a complete copy of the project manual. See new CSI Section(s) column added to the DSA/HPI Scorecard.
• Provide reference to the applicable drawing sheet(s) on the HPI scorecard. There's no need to provide a reduced copy of a sheet showing a detail of a system or location of bin locations if it is included in the set of construction documents. See new Plan Sheet(s) column added to the DSA/HPI Scorecard.
• Provide a copy of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) documents which will suffice for most Sustainable Site credits. See revision on 2006 HPI Scorecard
• Use the Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS) new database for sustainable materials at http://www.chps.net/dev/Drupal//node/395.
• The new 2009 Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS) criteria and the LEED for Schools guidelines will now be accepted for the DSA/HPI grant review. The HPI credits will be translated into the HPI scorecard based on the 2006 CHPS guidelines.
• DSA encourages Electronic Plan Reviews and the HPS is equipped to conduct your review electronically.
• The Energy Checklist has been revised; there is no back check with the High Performance Section (HPS). However, there is now a required HPS stamp on the Title-24 Sheets to record the accurate energy performance run code(s). Review the newly updated Checklist for HPI Projects (PDF - 44 KB) for detailed information.
• The HPS team is equipped to do electronic plan reviews as required by PL-09-02 (PDF - 50 KB).
• Include your email address; the DSA's HPS staff will email you if they need additional information.