Just read, "Build a home for uder $62 pr sq ft" in Countryside
Magazine, vol 94, no 4. This couple in their50s wanted to build a low-energy-use house for themselves that they would plan to live in for the rest of their life. So, they bought appliances that would last at least 50 yrs, and while they are waiting for solar/wind to be cheaper to afford easily, they built everything very efficiently. The article describes all the details of what they did.