Alberta’s alternative approach to building new schools using public-private partnerships (P3) has earned national recognition for innovation and excellence in infrastructure development. On November 22, 2010 the Canadian Council for Public-Private Partnerships (CCPPP) presented the Alberta Schools Alternative Procurement (ASAP) project the 2010 National Award for Innovation and Excellence in Public-Private Partnerships. This is the second time Morrison Hershfield has had a role in an award winning Canadian P3 project.

This approach to building new schools was intended to result in the construction of more schools, more quickly, delivering value for money to taxpayers over the life cycle of the contract. In fact, through ASAP the Alberta government constructed 18 new schools in Calgary and Edmonton two years faster than by conventional process, with 30-year savings of $97 million. The schools (K-4, K-6 and K-9) are innovative in design as they all have a standard core that employs a modular classroom concept. The modular classrooms will allow the schools to add and remove modules as required, depending on the school population, without major construction or disruption to the area. Attention is given to daylighting, air quality, ventilation and acoustics which have all been shown to be key factors in improved learning.

ASAP I was structured as a three-way partnership of BBPP Alberta Schools Ltd. (the contractor), the Alberta government (Alberta Infrastructure and Alberta Education) and four school boards (Calgary Public, Calgary Catholic, Edmonton Public, and Edmonton Catholic schools boards). The P3 schools are owned and operated by the school boards, the private sector does not own or lease schools and use and access to new schools is the same as existing schools. This made-in-Alberta P3 model has been closely examined by other Canadian provinces, as well as the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia.

The design and construction of the schools are for green field sites and are intended to achieve LEED Silver certification. Morrison Hershfield was engaged as the Independent Certifier, conducting third party review on the 18 schools in order to certify that the schools met the availability criteria as defined in the DBFM Agreement. All schools in ASAP I opened in September 2010. 

For more information on this award and project background, please visit the Government of Alberta website.