Fans of Sarah Susanka's The Not So Big House, a young couple in Austin, Texas wished to build a little "gem" of a home in the surrounding hill country that, at it's core represented their values of sustainability and self-sufficiency. Their aspirations were realized in a cozy home that was designed around existing oaks, prevailing breezes, the use of maintenance-free materials wherever possible and careful orientation. A buried 45,000-gallon rainwater cistern provides all necessary water for living and landscaping.

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