The training was delivered by an expert in energy and climate change from the Environmental Services Direction of the Metropolitan Area of Barcelona (AMB). It focused on two themes: European directives and objectives for energy rehabilitation of buildings; and the role of energy managers in municipal municipal energy policy, including their definition, objectives and methodological proposals for their implementation.

The training session was attended by the Mayor of Mahdia along with various council members, municipal staff and representatives of the Tunisian national energy provider, STEG.

In August 2018 MedCities has launched a technical assistance to the city of Mahdia on energy efficiency in public buildings, a project which has included an energy audit of the City Hall in order to identify energy saving measures and increase efficiency as well as to promote the integration of renewable energy sources. for this project MedCities mobilized a local expert as well as the expertise of the Environmental Services Direction of the AMB. The AMB expert reviewed the results and measures proposed in the energy audit, validated the alternatives examined and proposed new measures and focuses in order to obtain more complex and advanced audits.

In addition to the audit, MedCities prepared the Terms of Reference for the installation of photovoltaic panels at the building, a project that was selected as a priority by  citizens of Mahdia and which will be executed with funding from USAID project TADAEEM.

Following the seminar, it is foreseen that the support of AMB and MedCities will continue in 2019 with the selection and training of a municipal energy manager in Mahdia. This will facilitate the extension of the energy strategy to all municipal buildings of the city, advancing towards a new energy model and contributing to the fight to prevent climate change. The work done in Mahdia will also contribute to the upcoming Rev-ACTE project that MedCities will implement in Tunisia in order to build the capacity of local authorities with respect to energy transition.