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

Many places on campus highlight local ecology and flora. Indian Pond is located between Indian Quad and Liberty Terrace. It not only fuctions as a landscape feature, but also as a retention basin for run-off stormwater, which then is used for irrigation on all lawns and fields.

Indian Pond in Fall

A few gardens around campus serve as locations for relaxation and reflection. 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 breathtaking 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 for studying.

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. Click here to see its step by step construction.

The rain garden fresh after installation

The UAlbany fountains are iconicsymbols and surprisingly sustainable features for our university. They 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