Environment

On an average UAlbany day, many of us probably don't feel much contact with our surroundings. Our water comes from machines and spigots, our air arrives from ducts and windows, our food arrives in trucks, and our weather just "arrives." All our waste products from an average UAlbany day somehow just go "away." It's easy to forget the important role your environment plays in everyday lives.

Natural Environment at UAlbany

There are a lot of different places on campus that highlight local ecology and flora. Between Indian Quad and Liberty Terrace is Indian Pond, which is not only a landscape feature, but also acts as a retention basin for run-off stormwater, which is then used for irrigation on all lawns and fields.

Indian Pond in Fall

There are also a few gardens around campus. The largest and most popular gardens on campus are the East and West gardens. The East Garden, located between Biology and the Performing Arts center, offers a breath taking scene in late April while the azaleas are in bloom. The West Garden, between Social Science and the Library, provides a green and sunny spot to study.

East Garden in the Spring

The university's first rain garden was installed at the Alumni House in October of 2011. This was in partnership with the Albany County Stormwater Coalition. This will serve to mitigate rainfall run off onto University Drive. To see its step by step construction, go to: http://www.albany.edu/ehs/pdf/AlumniHouseRainGarden.pdf

The rain garden fresh after installation

The water fountains at UAlbany are iconic symbols for the university. These fountains run on a recirculated water supply to eliminate the need for a constant demand on our water supply. In addition, the hours of fountain operations have been reduced to conserve energy. The fountains of the entry plaza have a special feature where the height of the water is adjusted according to wind conditions. In windy weather, the water stream lowers and returns to normal height in calm conditions.

The Main Fountain