Reduction of harmful emissions and efficient use of resources are key to ensuring long term sustainable development. Energy consumption in buildings represents around 40% of total final energy use in Europe. In this context, public authorities have a key role in leading by example, as the impact of energy use in publicly owned and managed buildings is huge.Thus, SERPENTE brings together 10 partners from 10 countries with the overall objective to improve energy efficiency in different typologies of publicly owned or managed buildings through improved public policies. The focus is on existing buildings and work addresses public policy making from the top down (policy makers) and the bottom up (citizen involvement).Specific sub objectives are:• to promote theoretical understanding and practical application of energy efficiency initiatives;• to provide information to and raise awareness among policy makers and citizens;• to promote responsible energy consumption among public buildingusers; • to foster proactive involvement of local stakeholders in public policy;• to enhance energy performance of publicly owned/managed buildings through the development of a manual which includes practical advices for policy makers and citizensSERPENTE is divided into 4 components, whose coordinators work together to ensure synergy between activities: C1, dedicated to project managements and C2, dedicated to communication activities guarantee a solid project structure and support the development of technical activities foreseen in C3, related to the exchange of good practices and C4, focused on pilot initiatives. Exchange is carried out at project level, analysing characteristics common to all buildings and in 5 sub-groups on specific building typologies: historical buildings, social housing, sports facilities, schools and offices.Partners identify and analyse good practices related to energy efficiency in public buildings, before a number of them undertake small scaletesting, by selecting aspects of good practices and applying them in an integrated manner to at least 1 publicly owned/managed building of a specific typology. The results are used to provide input to Implementation Plans, detailing the mainstreaming of lessons learned.Partners are supported by end users, policy makers and relevant stakeholders, involved in project activities through regional focus groups to guarantee that territorial needs are addressed, and ensure impact on regional policies and strategies. Policy makers are brought together at interregional level for proactive debate on the theme of energy efficiency in public buildings.Through intense dissemination of project results SERPENTE has a direct impact on 10 public policies focused on energy efficiency and increases awareness and capacity among relative policy makers and end users. SERPENTE also spreads results outside the consortium. In this way, SERPENTE contributes to improved environmental conditions across the EU. Achievements: The Serpente project tackles the theme of energy efficiency in publicly owned or managed buildings. SERPENTE kicked off on the 16-18/04/2012 in Brussels. During the meeting partners formed the Steering Group, analysed the work plan and began exchanging experiences in order to define the necessary elements of the context analysis (Component 3). They also participated in a session on subgroups to identify the main focus of their analysis to be chosen between: historical buildings, social housing, sports facilities, offices and schools. Each partner is requested to participate in two subgroups and should identify relevant good practices related to existing buildings belonging to their subgroups. The aim is to facilitate an in-depth exchange and to ease the transfer by looking for specific information from the very beginning of the context analysis phase. Subgroup coordinators prepared a definition of the tipology /function of buildings to be considered in each subgroup and shared it with partners in order to begin the analysis at regional level starting from a common understanding. A study visit to Atelier Mommaerts and Savonnerie Heymans was organised by Partner n°5 Centre Urbain, who hosted the meeting. An Opening Seminar was organised, in order to involve relevant professionals based in Brussels and to have an insight in some successful experiences related to energy efficiency in public buildings. Some successful policy examples, such as Exemplary Buildings Project and PLAGE project were presented to project partners. As far as communication activities are concerned, Partner n° 9, Metropolitan Association of Upper Silesia collected contribution from project partners to draft the Communication plan and to develop contents for the website. Partner n°5 Centre Urbain participated in the INTERREG IVC Seminar organised in Barcelona in June 2012.