The Green Trail project showcases the university's commitment to environmental sustainability.
The trail stations highlight the cutting-edge technologies on campus, emphasizing the university's initiatives to conserve electricity, water, and other resources.
A tour of the trail provides insight into extensive research conducted in advanced laboratories, focusing on energy, water, ecology, and green building studies.
Building 14
The Zuckerberg Institute for Water Research leads multidisciplinary studies on water in anthropogenic and natural habitats. The institute's research addresses challenges in water-related developments, rehabilitation, and stewardship. The research at the institute is centered on two primary domains: Hydrology & Microbiology and Desalination & Water Treatment.
Building 25
The French Associates Institute for Agriculture and Biotechnology of Drylands is dedicated to advancing sustainable agricultural solutions in arid environments. Research at FAAB concentrates on two key areas: understanding the Soil-Plant-Atmosphere continuum in response to environmental stress and exploring innovations in aquaculture.
Building 24
The Alexandre Yersin Department of Environmental Physics, a division of The Swiss Institute for Dryland Environmental & Energy Research, employs methodologies such as Nanomaterials and Metamaterials, Fluid Dynamics, Nonlinear Dynamics, Stochastic Processes, and remote sensing. Notably, two antennas for satellite communication are visible atop the building, installed in the seventies and eighties by the remote sensing laboratory. Initially used to directly receive images transmitted from various satellites, these antennas were pivotal in numerous studies. However, with advancements in internet communication, efficiency has led to a shift in image reception practices. The department now seamlessly receives images directly from the American and European space agencies, with internet communication supplanting traditional satellite communication through the antennas.
Building 26
The Ben-Gurion National Solar Energy Center, a department within The Swiss Institute for Dryland Environmental & Energy Research, focuses on renewable energy research, including solar energy harvesting for storage, optics, and surface physics. Two sundials are visible in front of the building: a precision sundial on the podium and a ground sundial featuring solar energy devices along its perimeter.
The precision sundial, designed in collaboration with David Faiman in 1995, features a unique gear mechanism that allows for the adjustment of the sundial according to the changing seasons.
The solar energy devices displayed on the ground sundial perimeter are: a solar water heater model, a model of the Ashalim power station, a solar absorption color panel, and a solar panel model.
Between buildings 46 and 48
The communal student garden, established more than a decade ago and student-run, serves as a vibrant hub for cultivation and relaxation. It features several compost bins for sustainable waste management, a diverse range of seasonal fruits and vegetables, and inviting sitting spots for community events. Among the plentiful produce are potatoes, eggplants, watermelons, and many more, contributing to a rich and engaging environment where students actively participate in gardening activities while enjoying the fruits of their labor in a communal setting.
