My dream house, meant for Southern AZ, is rammed earth, thick walls, adobe style. Critter proof, mostly.

We owned a wood frame with wood shingle clerestory style in New Mexico, during the winter the lower sun shone through the high south facing windows, adding heat, and during the summer, the sun was higher, thus, didn't shine in and kept it cooler.

It was so warm in the back rooms (where the high windows were) that we never had to light our woodburner in the master bedroom, even during a power outage with no other source of heat. And during the summer, the windows could be opened for great cross ventilation.

Great design, except in a monsoon situation, since the windows leaked! I sold the house and moved to CA before ever addressing fully, although we did caulk them up temporarily.

We had a neighbor with strawbale, loved, it, affordable and durable.