738 Old Plantation Road

The front view of the Wises' house in Stiles Point Plantation is impressive: leafy shade trees, pitched roof and arched window.

Tidy, attractive. Nothing out of the ordinary.

But make no mistake, there is something unusual about 738 Old Plantation Road on James Island: The power bill is below normal – way below normal. On a 3,239-square-foot dwelling built 20 years ago, the average payment is a mere $150 a month.

That would require extra-efficient energy saving equipment, yet there’s no obvious signs — the house looks like any other fossil-fueled dwelling in the neighborhood.

A mystery? Not really. Joseph D. Wise Jr. and wife Julie Wise are glad to detail exactly what they did.

They’ve spent years installing a host of energy-saving devices, from heavy-duty insulation to rear solar panels, that lower the power bill without messing with the property’s appearance.

“I think for the age of the home, the energy efficiency is unique,” says Amy G. Hill, broker in charge with The Verdi Co. in Charleston.

While the Wises are pleased with the power savings, they want to build a solar home from scratch that includes everything they’ve learned over time. The couple recently put 738 Old Plantation Road on the market for $539,000.

As it turns out, Joe Wise launched his energy-saving crusade innocently enough a decade ago by investigating the crawl space underneath the home’s floor boards.

“I found all the insulation falling out,” he says. Wise located a company in Pawleys Island that installed a dehumidifier and sealed up leaks in the space.

“It really made a big improvement,” he says. “The power bill went down 20 to 30 percent.” Citing evidence of the super-insulation, Wise says the crawl space temperature never rose above 69 degrees Fahrenheit during last month’s heat wave.

From there, Wise gradually added energy-preservation perks. The 2.8-kilowatt sun-generated system, which includes a 120-gallon solar water heater in the garage and 16 solar-element panels, was installed last year. “It’s not offensive, not something you pay attention to,” Julie Wise says.

Other upgrades are new upstairs windows and roof, extra-efficient gas furnace, attic foam insulation, stand-by generator and leak prevention efforts. There are easy-to-install hurricane shutters in case of a storm.

Wise monitors power usage, actually selling electricity back to South Carolina Electric & Gas Co. while tracking financial and power savings that he displays on charts.

Indeed, the energy efficiency is a big plus. But the house would be alluring simply for its pristine landscaping and roomy layout.

A hallmark feature of the five-bedroom, four-bath home is spacious living quarters with a vaulted ceiling, fireplace and Palladian window.

Oak cabinets, easy-open drawers and a one-touch water faucet mark the kitchen, also home to a stainless refrigerator, smooth-top stove, oven, dishwasher and microwave. The wheeled kitchen island can be moved around. There’s a formal dining room off the kitchen.

Crown molding gives ceilings a pleasing look, and plush carpet covers bedroom floors. The master suite, situated downstairs, sports an ample bathroom with whirlpool tub and sizable bedroom that opens onto the back deck -- featuring a retractable awning. The family room, which has a fireplace, connects to the screened-in porch.

Located above the two-car garage is a finished room with skylights. It is being used as a media center, complete with a big-screen television. Also upstairs is a one-of-a-kind doodad – a laundry chute that leads straight to the main floor washing machine.

Thanks to Julie Wise, the yard is meticulously landscaped. An irrigation system keeps colorful plants, flowers and shrubs and a neatly trimmed lawn watered.

“The home is ready to go,” says Hill, the listing agent.

The house is located off Harbor View Road. From Harbor View at the James Island connector, travel east for about three miles. Turn left on Old Plantation Road, which is the entrance to Stiles Point Plantation. On the right is 738 Old Plantation Road.

Reach Jim Parker at 937-5542 or jparker@postandcourier.com

Agent: Amy Hill, LEED AP

Office: The Verdi Co.

Phone: (843) 475-3317

Philosophy: “My extensive knowledge of green building design and construction gives me a unique advantage to be able to educate buyers so they get the best value now and continue saving with energy efficient homes. For sellers, I fully understand the additional value of green features.”

www.theverdicompany.com