Nexushaus is an amazing and cheap solar living home that is water independent
This one story, energy positive house comes from designers from Technische Universität München (TUM) and the University of Texas at Austin (UTA).
Made with almost entirely sustainable materials, a self-reliant water capture and treatment system and solar panels, Nexushaus is currently being constructed and tested in Austin, Texas. It's a response to a rise in the cost of housing, relative to all the new people moving to the city and an opportunity to build a house that will feed electricity back into the system.
The solar panels are enough to power the lighting, air conditioning, household appliances, and an electric car.
There are two primary buildings within the structure, both a daytime and nighttime house, connected by a central "nexus" area. They're built to function as open areas during hot summer months or walled areas for the winter.
Rainwater is collected, stored in large underground tanks and filtered for drinking water, while grey water is recycled and used for the washing machine, sink and shower. An in-house aquaponic system irrigates the food plants that grow on the deck and around the house.
This is being developed, in part, for the October 2015 Solar Decathlon Competition, a competition put on by the US government where the winner "best blends affordability, consumer appeal, and design excellence with optimal energy production and maximum efficiency."
Here is a virtual tour of the house
Here is a short interview with the creators of Nexushaus