[zjrog]

I like your #4 above. I've given a great deal of thought towards how I would build my retirement home. Geo-thermal recirc is a great way to cool/heat the house, but lots of drilling required for that. I've always considered building into the side of a hill. Perhaps, someday, I can afford to build what I want where I want and be able to

I don't know how much it would help your situation, but there is a group in Taos, NM that uses old tires and rammed earth methods of creating heat mass storage. And they also have some unique methods of managing their water too. Hey, just cause I'm a jeep guy doesn't keep me from watching the green Planet channel...

Regardless, I am guessing from the green, you get plenty of rainfall on the property so managing the runoff and rainwater will need to be addressed with your block wall construction. I'm not sure what sort of "green" or chemical free sealant would work best to minimize water damage to your blocks. (as an aside, where I lived in California, the desert, we had excellent water wells and limited treatment of the water. But after 10 years or so of lawn sprinklers running, there were block walls with serious water damage...) The only block walled building I remember living in was in Hawaii, but the block was on top of concrete slab, not in contact with the soil.

I'm watching this thread to see how it comes along...