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Energy efficiency "Regarding energy efficiency, operators must be given the time required to obtain investments, and the public must have the opportunity to make the most of it", said Stefano Venier, CEO of the Hera Group, discussing one of the crucial topics of Italian energy policies. Achieving the increasingly ambitious goal of reducing consumptions presents municipalities with new and highly challenging management solutions. In this regard, "finance is not a problem", said Venier, in the introductory notes to the conference 'Financing Energy Efficiency in the Public Administration Sector', held this morning by CESEF (Energy Efficiency Study Centre) in Hera's Bologna offices. Conversely, efficiency enhancing interventions have several tools to obtain the necessary resources". But the system functions effectively only if the division of roles is clearly defined. "The operative setting is crucial for a positive outcome. The Administration establishes goals and targets", said the CEO Venier, "and the operator is required to implement the functional interventions required to achieve them". "Our Group," said Stefano Venier, "has always played a leading role in terms of energy efficiency. With 117 interventions implemented in 2016, we have already cut down consumptions by 2.6%, compared to the 3% goal established for this year, which will be easily overcome as a result of scheduled activities. This is the reason why we reviewed it with an increment, aiming at 5% within 2020". CESEF's Director, Stefano Clerici, said, "The Public Administration Sector must understand the opportunities generated by energy efficiency in economic, environmental and also political terms. Hence, CESEF is building a tool box for energy efficiency in the Public Administration Sector to provide the most appropriate tools to solve the problems that block investments in this framework. Considering funds, it is essential to use the latest public-private partnership agreements that fairly divide the risks of the project between the Public Administration Sector and private operators and attract the abundant resources that are available especially in the banking world". Some success cases in the Public Administration Sector were presented at the conference organised in partnership with Confservizi Emilia Romagna. Participating institutions included the Emilia Romagna Regional Administration, Bologna and Budrio Municipalities, Modena Agency for Energy and Sustainable Development and ANCI Emilia Romagna. Many companies joined the discussion with Hera Luce, a Group member company that ranks second in Italy for public lighting. Best cases presented by Hera Luce included energy upgrading plans that are currently being implemented in some Emilia Romagna municipalities. Energy efficiency 2017-07-27 Read more efficienza_energetica.1501232935.png During the workshop "Financing Energy Efficiency in the Public Administration Sector", organised by CESEF in Hera's Bologna offices, the company's CEO was favourable to the solution adopted for energy management in the Public Administration Sector. Energy efficiency

wsp 110 Water Safety Plans are European protocols for step-by-step monitoring of potable water production and distribution processes. EU Directive 1787/2015 requests, in fact, that member states implement such protocols as soon as possible, and Hera - true to its own history - has no intention of waiting. With a long-standing record of thorough mains water monitoring and outstanding service performance that guarantees - across all served areas - low-priced, high-quality potable water, the multi-utility has now signed an agreement with the Istituto Superiore di Sanità (ISS) to apply, over the two-year period 2017-2018, complete Water Safety Plans on two of its mains water systems. This will allow us to acquire the methodology and develop the skills laid out in the directive guidelines, letting us extend Water Safety Plans to all our mains water systems. This subject will soon be the focus of a conference for industry experts, to be held at the multi-utility's Bologna headquarters on Wednesday 21 June. Key Group managers will be in attendance, as will other institutions/bodies involved in the project. Safety, then, first and foremost. The introduction of a precise, sound standard for all EU states lends further weight to the dedication shown by Hera in recent years. Thanks to extremely early commitment, in fact, the Group has had the infrastructure, analysis facilities and monitoring systems in place - all used on a daily basis - for some time now, allowing our over 3.6 million customers to drink domestic tap water in complete confidence. Guaranteed by no less than 2,000 checks a day, tap water plays a pivotal role in Hera's plans: indeed, the eighth edition of the annual In buone acque ('In good waters') report has now been published, giving a detailed account of every aspect of this essential service. For some years, in fact, the Group has been working alongside Regione Emilia-Romagna and Arpae to develop an application methodology, based on risk analysis, to define water safety plans. That work has resulted in contributions to the Water Safety Plan Guidelines published by the Istituto Superiore di Sanità in 2014 (ISTISAN report 14/21). "As we see it", states Franco Fogacci, Hera Group's Water Manager, "guaranteeing high quality drinking water has always been a top priority, so we can't help but find ourselves in agreement with the framework laid out in the EU Directive. Water Safety Plans", continues Fogacci, "constitute a major challenge for everyone in the industry: we all need to do a great job of providing a response that ensures their effective, accurate implementation. Indeed, I think that Hera's vast experience", concludes the multiutility's Water Manager, "lets us field the skills and resources that help drive such processes, their outcome going beyond the provision of practical services for served areas to provide great examples for other local areas". wsp 2014-03-19 870.1500390469.jpg With years of excellent results behind it, Hera renews its commitment to outstanding potable water quality and, together with the Istituto Superiore di Sanità (Higher Health Institute), aims to apply EU Water Safety Plans to its own mains water systems. A debate on the subject will be held on Wednesday 21st June. wsp 110

Stefano Venier discusses the goals of the UN's Agenda for 2030 The CEO Stefano Venier intervenes at All4thegreen, in view of G7 Environment that will be held in Bologna, to explain the Hera Group's contribution to 10 of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals defined by the UN's Agenda for 2030. The interview touched on several topics, with special focus on the challenges of energy efficiency and circular economy, which was discussed during the conference that was recently held in the Bologna offices of the multi-utility company on 6 June. An important occasion to underscore the virtual link between sustainability, economic growth and social benefits, and also to explain how the commitment to promote separate waste collection and recycling has enabled Hera to achieve, before others, important goals established by the European Union for 2025 and 2030, thus providing a practical answer to the demands of local bodies and of clients who are increasingly keen on themes of green economy. [block]div:row-fluid::db:hr_press_comunicazione::box:69[/block] Stefano Venier discusses the goals of the UN's Agenda for 2030 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NKl1XzGwDF0#prettyPhoto 2017-07-27 venier_big_opt.1497006706.png The CEO Stefano Venier intervenes at All4thegreen, in view of G7 Environment that will be held in Bologna, to explain the Hera Group's contribution to 10 of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals defined by the UN's Agenda for 2030. The interview touched on several topics, with special focus on the challenges of energy efficiency and circular economy, which was discussed during the conference that was recently held in the Bologna offices of the multi-utility company on 6 June. Stefano Venier discusses the goals of the UN's Agenda for 2030

Creativity and innovation [block]div:row-fluid::db:hr_press_comunicazione::box:68[/block] Events related with G7 Environment touch core topics with the conference organised by Hera on circular economy in its Bologna offices. The initiative offers the opportunity to present the sustainability report of the multi-utility company, and witnessed the presence, among others, of the Minister for the Environment, Gian Luca Galletti. He pointed out the central role played by circular economy in the framework of the 4th industrial revolution we are experiencing, underscoring the important progress made by regional administrations, such as Emilia-Romagna. Many leading figures from the business world, institutions and research bodies attended the event organised by Hera today to discuss the transition towards increasingly sustainable development models. Key participants included Enrico Giovannini, Professor of Economic Statistics at the University of Rome; Oscar Farinetti, creator and founder of Eataly; Catia Bastioli, CEO of Novamont S.p.A., and Carlo Ratti, Director at the MIT of Senseable City Lab, just to mention a few. They were preceded by Ellen MacArthur's presentation, who is also known for the namesake foundation, which is the most active and important organisation in the world on the scene of circular economy. "Carbon resources will be depleted over a period of 100 years", said Ms MacArthur, "but saving resources will not suffice. We can adopt it to gain time for the transition from linear economy to circular economy that severs the link between scarce resources and our growth prospects by focusing on innovation, education, training and new generations." [block]div:row-fluid::db:hr_press_comunicazione::box:69[/block] Moreover, "Innovation" and "creativity" are the key words of the conference organised by Hera that, through its senior management, spoke about its commitment for sustainability, showing that the Group is strongly committed to 10 of the 17 goals on the UN's Agenda for 2030. The new version of the sustainability report particularly accounts for the "shared value", namely wealth generated by Hera in pursuing the goals of the Global Agenda. Equal to 1/3 of the overall gross operating margin, the shared value of the multi-utility company amounts to 300 million euro for 2016. Said amount was obtained by focusing on three strategic sectors, namely the intelligent use of energy (with 48 million euro generated by promoting energy efficiency, and 29 million euro by making greater use of renewable energy); the efficient use of resources (with 110 million euro obtained by pursuing the transition to a circular economy, and 83 million euro obtained through sustainable management of water resources); innovation and development in the local area (with 18 million euro resulting from innovative projects and digitalisation, 11 million euro for the protection of air and soil, and 35 million euro for the economic development of local communities and social inclusion projects). "These moments of discussion are very important", says Tomaso Tommasi di Vignano, Hera Group's Executive Chairman, because they confirm the international framework of the excellent results achieved by Hera in terms of development of circular economy. Tommasi goes on to say, "What is at stake is the acceleration of a transition that requires everybody's contribution, with special reference to the need for a stable and more homogeneous regulatory framework that can encourage planning, investments and consolidation processes, which are essential, in the long term, for sustainable and lasting growth". 2017-07-27 Creativity and innovation