On Sept. 16, the Propane Education and Research Council (PERC) hosted a panel of experts who discussed the ways that the recently built Southern Living Idea House — located in South Carolina — is incorporating propane into its innovative design. From providing necessary heating across the house to powering the backup generator, propane is central to the operations of this year’s Southern Living featured home.
Reflecting on his experience working with the home, Tom Dillard, president of Dillard-Jones and builder of the Southern Living Idea House, stated that “For us, this was our introduction into this market as a building company. We had a very compressed schedule. I’m proud of our team for pulling this off and the teamwork between the architect, interior designer and build team were phenomenal.”
The construction process presented some unique challenges to Dillard and his team, one of them being the mature trees that exist on the property. It was necessary for both safe construction operations and the good of the surrounding environment to carry on with the build while leaving the trees’ root systems as intact as possible.
“Navigating the permitting process and trees on the property was a learning experience,” said Dillard.
The house was constructed in a rural area of South Carolina, located on the coast roughly 20 miles from Charleston. Due to its remote location, the array of energy choices was somewhat limited. As is often the case, where other energy sources can falter due to a lack of supportive infrastructure, propane thrives.
“In the barrier islands, it’s pretty much impossible to run natural gas out here,” said Dillard. “This is a large neighborhood. It covers over 1,000 acres, so it’s very massive in size. Depending just on electricity to power the house was not really an option because we’re in a very storm-prone area. Having something to back your house up is critical, and having something that is more efficient than electricity is important for our homeowners.”
The home is a testament to the viability of propane to efficiently meet consumers’ energy needs in even the most hard-to-reach locations. PERC’s CEO and president Tucker Perkins also attested to propane’s versatility, highlighting propane's reliability in sensitive environments.
"You put a propane tank in your yard, out of sight, out of mind, you're your own island," he explained. With propane, homeowners can produce power, cook, heat water and enjoy outdoor amenities with confidence in any weather or location. This independence and resilience align with builders' priorities of health and safety, as propane ensures reliable service even in challenging conditions.
Beyond the design of the Southern Living Home Idea House, Perkins also sees a bright future for the role that propane can play in sustainable home construction and its impact on reducing carbon emissions. According to Perkins, propane has proven itself as a strong contender in the sustainability narrative, especially when compared to electric alternatives. He pointed to last year's residential construction incentive data, noting that propane's use in home building had significant environmental benefits.
"We saved nine million pounds of CO2 emissions," he said, describing how 5,000 homes across 25 states adopted propane appliances instead of electric ones. This achievement is equivalent to taking 2,100 cars off the road annually. This data challenges the prevailing narrative that electric devices are the only path to a cleaner climate.
Looking ahead, Perkins discussed how PERC plans to continue promoting propane's role in both residential and commercial construction.
"We're going to continue to talk to builders and their construction professional partners," he said, emphasizing the importance of working with HVAC firms, plumbers and other key players in the industry. He also noted that the commercial sector offers untapped potential for propane solutions, with businesses needing reliable, affordable energy for hot water, power generation and heating.
Perkins concluded by stressing the importance of sharing propane’s story with the construction community, saying, "We just keep telling the story and eventually, like today, we have builders telling the story for us."
