Ohio University's Office of Sustainability offers free guided tours of the OHIO Ecohouse, the Compost Facility and OHIO's Stormwater Infrastructure. We also have a Sustainability Walking Map for those interested in a self-paced tour of campus sustainability features. The mAppAthens project provides virtual tours of sustainability-related topics such as Energy and Biofuels and the Campus Green Tree Tour .
We may decline Guided Tour Requests in the summer-time (May-August) and during academic closures (December-January, spring break, etc.) due to limited staffing.
Request a Tour . Information about tours is provided below and in the tour request form.
Ecohouse Tour (typically 20-30 min): Many classes and organizations choose to tour the Ecohouse (8133 Dairy Lane) each year. Tours highlight the exterior features of the house such as the solar electric, solar thermal, rain barrels, compost and community garden. Sustainable living habits are also discussed during the tour. Because the Ecohouse is an actual residence, we only offer interior tours to select groups upon approval of the residents. Otherwise, the interior of the house may be viewed during occasional Open House events sponsored by the residents.
More information about the Ecohouse
Compost Facility Tour (typically 45-60 min): Tours hosted at the Compost Facility (located on Dairy Lane, 0.2 miles southwest of the Dairy Barn) discuss the composting process at Ohio University, examine renewable energy and water collection and reuse options at the site, and explore waste reduction efforts that we can all adopt into our lives.
More information about the Compost Facility
Combined Ecohouse/Compost Facility Tour with Ridges Hike (up to 2hr): The combined tour includes the Ecohouse Tour, the Compost Facility Tour, and a hike between the two sites through the Ridges Conservation Land. During the hike, the history and sustainability practices of the former Athens Mental Asylum will be discussed.
Stormwater Infrastructure Tour (typically 60 min): This tour highlights the stormwater best management practices on Ohio University's Athens campus, including green roofs, rain gardens, bioswales, stormwater collection and reuse, and storm drain markings. This tour is part of the City of Athens and Ohio University Storm Water Management Program, Public Education and Outreach Minimum Control Measure.
Before scheduling a tour, please review the following:
- Tours must be requested at least two weeks in advance.
- Tours require a minimum of 6 people.
- Tours are available Mondays – Fridays from 9 am – 5 pm during the Fall and Spring semesters. Tours are not scheduled during finals week.
- Tours may be adjusted to meet your desired time range; please provide details in tour request.
- The Office of Sustainability does not provide transportation to/from the tour site. Once your tour is scheduled, your guide will meet you on-site at the time scheduled. Please plan your travel accordingly.
- Request of a tour does not guarantee that we have guides available. If a guide cannot be found, you will receive an email requesting you to select an alternate date/time. Confirmations will come in the form of an email noting time, date and the name of your guide/presenter.
Please note that, in order to keep tours and presentations free of charge, your guide may be a student or staff members of the Office of Sustainability who is not an expert in your topic of interest. Therefore, the guide may not be able to answer all questions on-site. Any questions not answered during the tour will be answered via email upon request.