1. Cayucos, Calif. Straw-bale construction has a long history, but in recent decades, homes created from straw-block walls have made a comeback because of the technique’s environmental benefits. The straw-bale main house at Wellspring Ranch has two bedrooms and a dance or yoga studio. The ranch’s 158-acre property also includes a guesthouse, a yurt, horse and hiking trails, and a grove of 1,000 young avocado trees. $1,995,000. Jutta Jacobs, Barnes & Associates/Sotheby’s International Realty, (805) 909-0520
2. Three Forks, Mont. Set on 163 acres, this two-bedroom home, built in 2000, features an open floor plan, two master suites, and an attached four-car garage with a shop area. As required by state law, the home has a window in one wall (shown at right) to prove that actual straw bales were used in construction. $459,900. Sue Frye, ERA Landmark Real Estate, (406) 556-5056
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3. Kanab, Utah Located in a remote town that sits between Arizona’s Grand Canyon National Park and southern Utah’s Dixie National Forest, this four-bedroom adobe-style home has a straw-bale addition and achieves passive-solar climate control using radiant-floor heating and an evaporative cooling system. The purchaser is afforded access to community tennis courts and a pool. $299,000. Brian Bernath, ERA Utah Properties, (435) 899-9025
4. Woodbury, Conn. This five-bedroom, Italian-style villa uses geothermal power to do away with heating and cooling bills. The house stands adjacent to a nature preserve on a south-facing hillside overlooking the Weekeepeemee River. Interior details include mahogany floors, a gourmet kitchen with a pizza oven, barrel-vaulted ceilings, and an exercise room. $1,895,000. Stacey Matthews, William Raveis Real Estate, (860) 868-9066
5. Santa Fe This adobe-style, three-bedroom home is located in Las Campanas, a private golf community. The house has two fireplaces and a library with floor-to-ceiling shelving. The property includes landscaped gardens and unobstructed views of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. $949,500. Marion Skubi and Johnnie Gillespie, Sotheby’s International Realty, (505) 954-0730
6. Galisteo, N.M. This two-bedroom house and its artist studio are located on a 2.5-acre lot south of Santa Fe. The home features a kiva fireplace, ceiling vigas, and floors made of concrete and brick. The property borders an 85,000-acre ranch. $350,000. Amber Haskell, Santa Fe Properties/Christie’s Great Estates, (505) 216-3426
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