The Solar-Powered Groundhouse in Brittany is a Designer Earth-Rammed Home

Brittany's <a href="http://www.groundhouse.com/">solar-powered Groundhouse</a> - conceived over a decade by Daren Howarth and Adrianne Nortje - flips the stereotype that rammed earth homes are only fit for peace-loving hippies. Yes it's earthy - with exterior walls comprised of no less than 150 tons of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rammed_earth">rammed earth</a> formed by tires. But it is also so well-designed and economical that even the least eco-conscious person would enjoy living in it. Bespoke furnishings (made of mostly recycled, salvaged, local or traditional materials) and 14 <a href="http://inhabitat.com/google-invests-to-bring-solar-power-systems-to-3000-homes/">solar panels</a> that produce more energy than the home could ever use make this a winning design for people on all levels of the environmentally-aware spectrum.

The Groundhouse is a rammed-earth building in Britanny

Made entirely out of local, salvaged or traditional materials, it is the ultimate eco-friendly dwelling

Glass embedded in the earth walls break up the monotony of color and permit daylight

This is one of three bedrooms with a view of the organic garden.

The home is topped with 14 solar panels!

The south-facing home enjoys plenty of natural light and warmth

The home is organized around a central open plan living and kitchen area

All of the home's water is harvested and recycled and it produces more energy than it requires; the rest is sold back to the national grid