The well-being of people, the industry and the economy depends on a safe, reliable, sustainable, affordable, efficient and economical use of energy. At the same time, energy-related emissions represent almost 80% of the total greenhouse gas emissions in the European Union (EU). Therefore the question of efficient energy use is one of the biggest challenges facing Europe and Slovenia in the coming decades. The building industry is responding to the energy and environmental crisis with a development of new low energy systems for the heating and cooling of the buildings. New technologies pose designers and architects new tasks and challenges, as well as opportunities for creating new, low energy and sustainable environment and buildings. With a multidisciplinary approach, featuring technical disciplines, as well as architecture as an art, it is possible to transform new technological arrangements and buildings into poetic living spaces for people. The possibilities of such an approach are illustrated by seven examples of low energy buildings in Slovenia. (C) 2015 Published by Elsevier B.V.