The document discusses green buildings and sustainable construction. It defines green buildings as those that use resources like energy, water, and materials more efficiently to reduce environmental impact over the building's lifecycle. It notes the growing global trend toward green buildings driven by energy crises, public pressure, and corporate social responsibility. Examples highlighted include the Empire State Building retrofit that achieved major energy savings, Spar supermarkets in Austria certified at high DGNB levels, and the EcoPoint office building in Kosice, Slovakia pursuing DGNB Silver certification. The document promotes green building certification systems for objective assessment and raising overall construction quality.