Craig Henritzy’s SunHawk House in Mendocino County is an Off-Grid, Solar-Powered Home

When John Schaeffer and Nancy Hensley set out to build their home in the rolling hills of Hopland, CA, they wanted a structure that was not only ecologically sound and energy-efficient, but that would also be in harmony with the landscape. So they brought in architect <a href="http://www.sfia.net/people/faculty/craig-henritzy-architect/">Craig Henritzy</a>, who is known for building homes that are inspired by Native American structures. The round, 2,900-square-foot house, which is known by its owners as "<a href="http://www.sunhawkfarms.com/">SunHawk</a>," is completely off the grid, running entirely on renewable energy.

In 1978, Schaeffer founded <a href="http://realgoodssolar.com/">Real Goods Solar</a> in Hopland, California, one of the nation's first solar energy companies, and his solar panels power the home.

An old barn, which Schaeffer and Hensley lived in while the home was being constructed, holds large batteries for energy storage. And there is another photovoltaic array located adjacent to the barn.

Because the self-sufficient home functions like a living organism it was recently featured in <a href="http://www.globalonenessproject.org/library/photo-essays/living-buildings">a photo essay produced by the Global Oneness Project</a> about living buildings.

A large array of solar photovoltaic panels line the curved roof of the home, and just above them sit a cluster of solar thermal (hot water) panels.

In addition to being energy-independent, the home is made from recycled materials.

An ingenious sun screen over the patio is made from recycled irrigation pipes.

The awning isn't the only place where recycled metal irrigation pipes were put to good use, though; a stand-alone art studio and exercise room near the main house is made from the pipes.

home was completed in 2002, and despite its size, it was relatively affordable to build because it uses so many reclaimed materials.

The colorful irrigation pipes form the walls of the small stand-alone studio.

The studio, which is made of recycled pipes, also features custom metal work.

The structure is made from <a href="http://www.rastra.com/">Rastra block</a>, a material that's made of 85 percent recycled Styrofoam and 15 percent cement.

The Shaeffers also installed a 1.5-kilowatt hydroelectric system on a seasonal creek that provides additional power during the region's rainy winters.

The roof shingles are made from recycled tires; much of the wood used throughout the home was reclaimed.