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instance, all the classrooms have built-in surround sound audiovisual technology with two projectors—and the capabil- ity of adding a third projector so the classroom can be used for distance learning. The rooms are all connected to the campus cable network as well. It's become common for schools to standardize new tech- nology so professors can move from room to room and still understand the controls. "That's important, because profes- sors never know which classroom they'll be in," says Kurt Paquette, chief administrative officer of Georgia Tech. "And when you're dealing with touch screens and input devices, they're five times harder to deal with than figuring out how to get the 12:00 to stop flashing on your VCR." The Chicago GSB is even trying to standardize technolo- gy on campuses outside the U.S. "Faculty members circulate LEED the Way Clearly, schools can commission environmentally friendly buildings without incurring the expense of certification from the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design program (LEED). But, like any seal of approval, a LEED rating offers tangible proof that an institu- tion has lived up to its claims of excellence. At Santa Clara, where sustainable design measures were already in place, the LEED criteria gave the school a way to measure the greenness of new buildings, says Joe Sugg. At Georgia Tech, LEED certification was important in part because the university's engineering school incorporates an environmental focus. "Our president wanted us to pursue a LEED building because he wanted us to practice what we preach," says Kurt Paquette of Georgia Tech. The LEED criteria were developed by a coalition of archi- tects, contractors, utility companies, governmental agencies, product manufacturers, building owners, and insurance firms. For more information, visit the Web site of the U.S. Green Building Council (www.usgbc.org). Similarly, in the U.K., an organization known as BRE (Building Research Establishment) offers research, consulting, and testing services for builders and products. Through its BRE Environmental Assessment Method program (BREEAM), it evaluates buildings on their energy use, land and water use, pollution levels, and other environmental factors. Buildings are rated and certified on a scale of pass, good, very good, or excellent. More information can be found at www.bre.co.uk and www.breeam.org. Georgia Tech's new building for its College of Management earned a silver LEED rating in 2003 for efficient and energy-conscious design. from Chicago to London to Barcelona to Singapore, and we want them to be comfortable in all their classes," says Paul. "The audiovisual controls are the same, and all rooms feel and work the same way." Today's classroom technology might include a document camera, a couple of projectors, a CD player, a DVD player, and the devices to control them all. Sometimes all the equip- ment is clustered in the podium at the front of the class—but some schools are starting to do away with the "big bunker in front," says Tattoni. "The new lecterns are very streamlined. They have nothing on them but a microphone, a place for a laptop, a place for the remote for the AV equipment, and a cupholder for the instructor's latte." Costs and Funding All these new technologies and design features come with hefty price tags. However, because costs vary by region and change with the economy, architects say that it's difficult to estimate how much a school should expect to pay per square foot. They do agree that costs are going up. "In the past 18 months, there has been an enormous infla- tionary spike in construction materials," says Tattoni. "Budgets that were estimated two years ago when people were putting together fund raising and feasibility studies are not coming up to 2005–06 dollars." The inflation is driven partly by the cost of steel, he says, and partly by the cost of oil. Deans and school building committees also must consider more than just the brick and mortar expenses. Soft costs— everything from architectural fees to technology to furniture finishes to equipment—can add 25 percent to 30 percent to the price of actual construction, says Ziebarth. Once school leaders have a good idea of the estimated cost of the building, they face the challenging task of raising enough money to get it built. The dean and building com- mittee usually will work with the architect to commission a concept study that details what the building could look like BizEd NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2005 35