Nestled on the Kiawah River on John’s Island outside of Charleston, South Carolina, the 2024 Southern Living Idea House showcases the best of contemporary home design. But beyond its architectural and natural beauty lies an unsung hero: propane.
Propane enables homeowners to build and live anywhere, providing a reliable, clean, and versatile energy source that supports sustainable design, efficient home operations, and energy independence. Propane can power essential home systems, including heating, cooking, and backup power, all while reducing emissions and ensuring a smaller environmental footprint, especially in sensitive ecosystems. The Southern Living Idea House is a prime example of how propane is a vital and responsible energy choice for homeowners and for home builders.
Build Anywhere, Live Anywhere
The Southern Living Idea House showcases how propane allows homeowners to build in remote or environmentally sensitive locations, especially in areas where the natural gas line won’t reach. Tom Dillard, president of Dillard-Jones Custom Builders, chose propane to power the home because it is a reliable, clean, and safe energy source that does not rely on pipelines for distribution to homes. With a buried 1,000-gallon propane tank stored on-site, the house has reliable energy without compromising the natural beauty of the surrounding landscape.
Many homes, farms, and businesses on John’s Island run on propane because it is logistically challenging and cost-prohibitive to extend natural gas lines to the low country islands. Propane is the ideal choice for dependable, clean and resilient energy, rather than opting for all-electric. As lot availability becomes an increasing challenge, being able to build off the natural gas lines with propane can open many more possibilities for homeowners to build their dream homes.
Versatility Meets Efficiency
Propane’s flexibility shines through the various appliances and systems it powers in the Southern Living Idea House. From home heat and fireplaces to kitchen ranges and furnaces, propane delivers reliable and efficient performance. Propane also supports outdoor features like the pool heater and grill, making it a perfect solution for both indoor comfort and outdoor living.
A standout system in the home is the hybrid heat pump solution, called the Heat Pump Helper™. Working with an existing thermostat, an air handler module communicates to a propane tankless water heater to circulate hot water through a hydronic coil installed at the air handler. When temperatures drop below 40F, the Heat Pump Helper kicks in rather than electric resistance strips to deliver fast, comfortable heat, reducing heating costs by up to 35% compared to all-electric systems. By using propane, homeowners not only save on energy bills but also enjoy improved performance — especially during high-demand periods when electricity alone might not suffice.
A Cleaner, More Sustainable Energy Source
In addition to providing comfort and convenience, propane contributes to a more sustainable future. The Southern Living Idea House emits 13% less carbon dioxide equivalent emissions compared to an all-electric home in the same area. Because propane has a lower carbon intensity than the national averages of grid electricity, it’s a cleaner choice for homeowners looking to reduce their environmental footprint. Additionally, propane is a non-toxic energy source that does not pollute air, water, or soil, making it ideal for use in ecologically sensitive areas like Kiawah River.
“We’re the visitors here, nature was here first,” Dillard said. “Our job was to not impact that in any negative way, so using clean energy that would allow homeowners to enjoy living here was extremely important. Propane allows homeowners to enjoy modern amenities while respecting the ecological values of the area.”
Resilient Power for Peace of Mind When designing the 2024 Southern Living Idea House, the team had to consider that the home would be built in hurricane-prone coastal South Carolina. Strong storms and natural disasters present a challenge for builders and homeowners to maintain power during storms. But propane offers a resilient solution.
The Southern Living Idea House features a propane-powered backup generator that ensures the home stays powered even during extended outages. Propane generators can activate within 10 seconds of a power outage, providing immediate power to essential home systems. The generator can handle an entire home’s energy needs for days, ensuring continuous operation of multiple home systems.
Unlike other energy sources, propane can be stored on site, providing continuous, accessible energy during emergencies. And since propane doesn’t degrade over time like other energy sources, homeowners can rest easy knowing propane won’t fail them when it’s needed most.
The Southern Living Idea House isn’t just a showpiece for cutting-edge design; it’s a demonstration of how propane supports modern living, combining sustainability, comfort, and resilience. For homeowners seeking flexibility in where and how they build, propane provides the freedom to create beautiful, comfortable, and eco-friendly homes no matter where life takes them.
Republished from www.propane.com
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