1. (a) For the purposes of this section, “school facility” means a building operated by a school district, public academy, or chartered public school being used for the purpose of educating pupils in grades K-12.
2. (b) The requirements in this section apply to all school facility construction projects, regardless of whether the project is constructed using state building aid.
3. (c) A school facility shall have safe access and sufficient parking, drainage, and security.
4. (d) The school facility shall have access for emergency vehicles from at least 2 directions, unless waived by the local fire chief or the authority of the state fire marshal in accordance with RSA 155-A:7.
5. (e) Prior to acquisition of a site, the school district, public academy, or chartered public school shall have surveys conducted of the site to ascertain, as much as practicable, that past use of the site has not resulted in conditions hazardous to public health, public safety, or to the environment, or matters of interest for historical preservation under RSA 227-C that cannot be removed, abated, or mitigated.
6. (f) All building construction shall comply with the requirements of the state building code under RSA 155-A.
7. (g) Design drawings and specifications for the construction project shall bear the stamp and signature of individuals licensed to perform architecture or engineering in the appropriate disciplines in the state of New Hampshire. The stamp and signature of the design professionals shall certify that the project has been designed in compliance with all applicable building codes and standards.
8. (h) Verification that construction has been performed according to state and local building codes and approval of waivers shall be the responsibility of the local code enforcement official in the municipality in which the construction takes place, or the state fire marshal in accordance with RSA 155-A:7.
9. (i) The design and installation of all lighting systems shall comply with the “Illuminating Engineering Society, Recommended Practice: Lighting Educational Facilities,” 2020 edition, as referenced in Appendix II. Multiple use spaces such as cafeterias, gymnasiums, and auditoriums shall have illumination for the highest level required by any planned use.
10. (j) Educational spaces shall be constructed to meet or exceed the requirements of the “ANSI S12.60 American National Standard Acoustical Performance Criteria, Design Requirements, and Guidelines for Schools Part 1,” 2010 edition, as referenced in Appendix II.
11. (k) All school facilities shall meet the New Hampshire code for barrier-free design under Abfd 300.
12. (l) Prior to construction, including construction in an existing facility, the school district, public academy, or chartered public school shall obtain a letter from the state fire marshal stating that the construction drawings and specifications have been evaluated and approved by the state fire marshal for compliance with the state fire code under RSA 153:1, VI-a and Saf-Fmo 300, as amended by the state board of fire control and ratified by the general court pursuant to RSA 153:5.
13. (m) Windows and doors shall be labeled with identifiers, such as a number or letter, clearly visible to first responders to assist them to effectively respond to an emergency.

14. (n) All nurse’s spaces shall meet the following criteria to provide adequate health services and ensure the privacy and health of all students, including:

    1. (1) A waiting area separate from other spaces;
    2. (2) Space for examining patients that includes a sink with hot and cold water;
    3. (3) A patient isolation area; and
    4. (4) A restroom, or an adjacent one, which meets current accessibility requirements pursuant to Abfd 300.
15. (o) For school districts, public academies, or chartered public schools that do not have a nurse on staff, a plan approved by the school board or board of trustees shall be implemented that provides sufficient health services and ensures the privacy and health of all students.
16. (p) Sufficient storage shall be provided for the proper storage of cleaning supplies, tools, spare parts, unused furniture, equipment not in use, and other like items required for custodial and maintenance activities.
17. (q) Emergency shower and eye wash stations shall be available in all science labs, automotive shops, and other places where hazardous liquids or open flames are frequently used and compliant with the “ANSI Z-358.1 American National Standard for Emergency Eyewash and Shower Equipment,” 2014 edition, as referenced in Appendix II.
18. (r) All laboratories and combination lab-classrooms that use chemicals, hazardous tools, or other potentially hazardous items, shall be operated to reduce potential hazards by providing at least 50 net square feet per pupil for each lab and at least 60 net square feet per pupil for each combination lab-classroom.

19. (s) All kitchen and cafeterias spaces shall meet the following standards:

    1. (1) The kitchen and cafeteria are sized to allow each student a minimum of 10 minutes, not including service time, to sit at a table and consume a meal during a specified lunch period;
    2. (2) The cafeteria size will be based upon 15 square feet per student for the maximum number of diners in any given lunch period. The throughput of the serving line(s) shall ensure all students can be served in the allotted time and no student has to wait for a seat to become vacant before eating; and
    3. (3) The kitchen is of sufficient size to allow the proper installation of all necessary equipment with the necessary spacing between appliances to meet the applicable safety requirements as specified by the manufacturer, the state building code under RSA 155-A, and the New Hampshire department of labor.
20. (t) School districts, public academies, and chartered public schools shall install water bottle filling stations in accordance with RSA 200:11-b.
21. (u) All playgrounds shall meet RSA 155:83 regarding accessibility.
22. (v) Prior to student occupancy, the school district, public academy, or chartered public school shall obtain an approval to operate from the department in accordance with Ed 320.

Source. #8265, eff 1-22-05; ss by #10363, eff 6-15-13; ss by #13054, eff 6-12-20; ss by #14023, eff 7-12-24 (formerly Ed 321.16); ss by #14215, eff 3-14-25