The Vision

So it's the summer of 2012.  We've owned our parcel of land for several months now, and it seems clear we won't start building this year.  But we can still start dreaming and planning!

The idea I kept gravitating towards was that our heat should be free.  Basically, to make the house as efficient as possible, with minimal external energy input.  However, our budget is..... small.  So what basic and affordable home design strategies can we employ?