Background Key political priorities for the EU are to reduce both its energy dependency and its greenhouse gas emissions contributing to climate change. The EU has set the strategic goal of cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 20% by 2020 and has made important related commitments through international agreements such as the Kyoto Protocol. Improving the energy efficiency of buildings can make an important contribution to achieving these goals. The EU Directive on the Energy Performance of Buildings (2010/31/EU) highlights that “buildings account for 40% of total energy consumption in the Union”. Furthermore, the buildings sector is expanding, generating further increases in energy consumption. This makes efficiency improvements in this sector particularly relevant. Universities, as institutions, tend to have large buildings with many thousands of users. Levels of energy consumption for light, heating and equipment use are high, with a corresponding impact on greenhouse gas emissions associated with electric and thermal generation. Objectives The project aims to develop and demonstrate an effective energy networks management system that can significantly improve the energy efficiency of high energy-consuming buildings. The system is expected to be modular and easily replicable in other energy intensive centres. The project will specifically demonstrate the energy networks management system in the current facilities of the University of Santiago de Compostela (USC) in its southern campus – Campus Sur. The campus buildings consume large amounts of energy - heat and electricity - which is supplied by three cogeneration plants on site. The project will start by conducting energy audits in the campus buildings, covering: Electricity consumption; Thermal performance; Efficiency in the current occupation and use of the buildings; and Tests to better combine and streamline use of the existing energy sources. On the basis of these results, it will draft an energy management plan targeting reduced consumption and more efficient use of the existing energy resources. It will also enable the adaptation and modulation of the energy generation in the cogeneration plants to efficiently meet actual needs. The plan will include monitoring systems and enable assessments of the economic advantages obtained. It thus hopes to demonstrate a reduced environmental and economic impact related to energy consumption in buildings that can be easily transferred and replicated. Expected results: The project expects to achieve the following results: Demonstration of a modular and easily replicable energy networks management system; A 30% reduction in the university's energy consumption associated with thermal generation - equating to around 200 000 kWh/yr; A 35% reduction in CO2 equivalent emissions – from electrical and thermal generation – equating to some 150 tonnes/yr of CO2; and A 35% reduction in operating costs, saving the USC some 15 000 euros per year.