Barnstaple, Devon

From the air, a drone would only pick out the two Mediterranean-style patios – otherwise this Grand Designs-esque property is hidden under a blanket of green. The four-bedroom, three-bathroom home was created from a Victorian underground water reservoir. Five arched glazed doors, framed in Marland brick, allow light to pour in to a collection of tunnel-shaped rooms with high ceilings. There is triple glazing and an air source heat pump. On top of a hill, the house has views of the estuary and the town and is seven miles from the sea. £825,000. Jackson-Stops, 01271 325 153

Carriegreich, Isle of Harris

On the rugged, rocky hillside on the east side of Harris are a pair of timber-framed homes with views over the coastline. Built in 2017, and shortlisted for Scottish home of the year 2021, they were designed to be sustainable, energy-efficient with a low impact on the environment. A whole-heat recovery ventilation system, an air-source heat pump and double glazing were installed. The main house has three bedrooms and a study, while the cottage has two bedrooms and is let as a holiday home. £995,000. The Modern House, 020 3795 5920

Margate, Kent

On the edge of the old town, and just a few streets back from the beach, the striking white stucco facade of the old church schoolhouse conceals a terrace of three cottages, set along a planted courtyard. The middle one is for sale with two bedrooms. Exposed brickwork is punctuated by wooden sash windows, their frames picked out in black. Wisteria grows up its walls and the property has access to the courtyard with borders of wildflowers and edible plants. The home has a fully electric heating and hot water system. £375,000. The Modern House, 020 3795 5920

Gurnard, Isle of Wight

Jutting out on the northern tip of the Isle of Wight is the village of Gurnard, complete with a sailing club, two pubs, a shop and a cafe. Behind the strip of beach huts, just metres from the sand, is a row of grand, contemporary homes. This is the exclusive Princes Esplanade. The five-bedroom property has the main living area on the first floor, with a balcony to the front, taking in views of the sea, and a terrace over the garden to the back. It has triple-glazed windows and an energy performance certificate rating of B. £2.495m. Knight Frank, 01590 630 591

Polzeath, Cornwall

A collection of blackened timber eco cabins sit in 1.6 hectares of fields a 15-minute walk from Polzeath beach. These new holiday homes are part of the Point leisure complex, with a golf course, a swimming pool and tennis courts, as well as a bar and restaurant. Residents can use all the facilities and sub-let their cabins, but can only stay 11 months of any year. The developer claims the cabins are an alternative to using the existing housing stock for holiday homes. A three-bedroom cabin is on offer with a 90-year lease on the land. £595,000. The Modern House, 020 3795 5920