NEW ZEALAND HOMESOne of the first things we noticed about New Zealand homes was the roofs. All the roofs that we saw were covered with either tile or metal. We saw no ashalt roofs. The benefit of this, as we also saw, was that many New Zealanders collect the rainwater off their roofs and store it in large cisterns beside the house. The water coming off a metal or tile roof is oil free and cleaner for drinking, washing, or watering plants. 
Many of the homes we saw were unique in design with lots of curved roofs. Outdoor patios and lots of windows were common. We just really appreciated the difference in style from what we are used to. Here are some pictures of these homes. 
We also had an opportunity to visit the new Earthsong cohousing community just west of Auckland. This is a permaculture community built to sustainable standards with rammed earth homes, solar water heaters, and rainwater collection.
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