The author reports on the reigning economic calculus that helps to drive constant expansion and poor utilization of space on many campuses. The author states that colleges could charge for utilities, which might encourage departments to save energy. Most American colleges do not charge for space--in part because doing so would raise the hackles of faculty members and others on campus. Space is a proxy for status in academe, and it is fiercely guarded. Charging for space is far more common and accepted on campuses in Australia, New Zealand, and England than it is in America.