While the styrofoam houses currently being constructed by Japan's International Dome House Company are durable, playful, and a masterpiece of modern engineering, one major critique is that the bubble-shaped buildings don't bear much relation to the kinds of houses that Westerners are familiar with. Yes, they're cute, and yes, they have unequaled energy efficiency, but many potential consumers can't escape the obvious comparisons to ice cream sundaes, Tattooine, or the Wonderbra.

With that in mind, anybody interested in building a reasonably-priced, energy-efficient home might want to take a peek at KitHAUS. While the modular glass boxes are neither as energy-efficient nor as whimsical as their Japanese counterparts, they are a lot cheaper and they fit much more easily into traditional Western concepts of box-based homes. Starting at $29,500 for a 117 square foot module, KitHAUSes can be connected to form larger structures. They can be constructed in a few days, are easily clamped together, and are pre-wired for electricity. Their aluminum frame design uses sustainable materials, and the double-pane glass walls are reasonably energy efficient. As long as you don't clean the walls with ammonia-based cleansers, the KitHAUS should even be relatively VOC-neutral!