According to Jim Dees, environmental sustainability coordinator, Guilford College is undertaking a project unparalleled by any college in the entire country.On March 16, college officials met with key members of the press on the patio of Founders to announce the coming installation of 188 solar hot water panels in campus dormitories. The project will bring sustainable hot water to Binford, Milner, Bryan, and Mary Hobbs, as well as Founders and the P.E. Center.

The installation work will begin in April and conclude by August. The 2010-2011 year has been named Guilford’s Year of Sustainability.

“Higher education leads the way in terms of carbon reduction technology,” said Vice President for Administration Jonathan Varnell.

Guilford has partnered with solar provider FLS Energy to realize this project. According to FLS calculations, the campus systems will provide 9,000 gallons of hot water per day. This figure translates to 113 tons less CO2 emissions every year. To achieve the same effect, one would need to plant 339 trees annually.

The intended panels are solar thermal collectors, which use the sun’s heat to warm a building’s water. They are not to be confused with photovoltaic cells, which convert solar radiation into electricity.

“The technology has been around since Roman times,” said FLS partner Frank Marshall. “It’s a tried and true method.”

Asheville-based FLS is currently engaged in similar sustainability projects with UNC Chapel Hill, Wake Forest University, and Mars Hill College.

Guilford chose FLS after working with the company in 2007 and installing a solar hot water system in Shore Hall. Many cite the Shore system’s success as a major impetus for the campus-wide project.

Speaking figuratively of Shore’s energy consumption on a graph, Dees said, “We used to see these beautiful peaks and valleys that repeated themselves year after year. After ’07, the cost dropped way down, about one third.”

Upon hearing of the project’s scale, students have reacted with approval.

“It’s really badass that we’re setting that kind of example,” said senior Yuri Woodstock.

Indeed, setting a green energy example for universities nationwide has been a significant motivation for those involved in the installation.

Sophomore Courtney Mandeville sees the solar panels and other green measures at Guilford as symbols that will help students be more environmentally conscious in their daily lives.

“Hopefully the panels or the Earth Club will keep people thinking about saving energy and saving water,” Mandeville said.

The administration similarly emphasized Guilford’s commitment to the environment.

“The college strives to be a leader in stewardship of the environment and of our own resources,” said Varnell in a March 16 e-mail. “The utility cost savings from this initiative over time will be substantial. But more importantly, we are putting our values into practice.”

And why else undertake such a large-scale venture at Guilford?

Said Dees, flashing a roguish smile, “Because we can.