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Brussels, 14th November 2012

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E-billingSwitch to e-billing, simplify your life.

Hera is launching an important campaign with a dual environmental advantage: by choosing to receive

your bills by e-mail you will reduce paper consumption and contribute to the creation of new urban green

areas.

For each 50 subscriptions, Hera will plant a tree in the city.Goals

New e-billing subscribers

New trees in the city

CO2 avoide

d

CO2 absorb

ed

Sheets of paper saved

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The idea• To launch a campaign to promote electronic

billing associated with the planting of trees in the territory served by Hera.

• Ask clients to sign up for electronic billing while offering them the opportunity to contribute to the planting of trees in the city.

• The client’s environmental choice to sign up for electronic billing is made even more attractive by offering a dual environmental advantage with a positive effect from a social standpoint.

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An innovative and attentive approach to

the environment

An innovative and attentive approach to

the environmentSocial responsibility

and commitment to

the territory

The dematerialisation of bills combined with the planting of trees in urban areas is an innovation in the utility industry and a further demonstration of the Group’s commitment to the environment and local communities

Transparency and verifiable

results

Transparency and verifiable

results

The trees will be planted in the municipalities of the area served and the municipalities will identify the spaces where the interventions will be carried out by taking into account social aspects and the use of green areas (school areas, new residential areas, parks, bike paths, etc. )The progress of the urban reforestation programme can be verified through partnerships with municipalities and the preparation of technical protocols. Partnerships with other entities will also be launched (schools, associations, etc..) that will promote the initiative and ensure its implementation

The innovation

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The parties involvedThe citizens, Hera and the Municipality

together to create new green areas or improve existing ones. Each with its own role in contributing to the protection of the environment and reaching

the project goals. The Citizen:

Contributes to reducing the

consumption of paper, saving resources and

reducing waste.

The Municipality:Improves the

urban environment

and the citizens' quality

of life.

Hera:Promotes a social

and environmental

commitment and strengthens the

Group's involvement in the territory.

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Environmental advantages

The project combines two actions that contribute to protecting the environment.

On one hand the process of dematerialisation generated by the electronic bill prevents the consumption of large

quantities of paper, reduces waste and eliminates emissions associated with mailing. On the other hand, the planting of

trees increases the territory’s ability to absorb CO2.

Hera decided to contribute by planting trees in the cities to enhance the environmental benefits resulting from

dematerialisation. In fact, green areas in the city play an important role in improving the urban environment.

ELECTRONIC BILLAND NEW TREES

SAVINGS OF PAPER

REDUCED EMISSIONS

IMPROVED URBAN

ENVIRONMENT

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Environmental and social advantages

Environmental

benefits

Environmental

benefits

Urban environment and social

aspects

Absorption of CO2 and

purification of the air

Absorption of CO2 and

purification of the air

Improved and more livable

urban environment

Improved and more livable

urban environment

Over its entire life cycle (50 years) a tree can absorb up to 3

t of CO2.

In addition to the absorption of CO2, the trees also contribute

substantially to the absorption of pollutants in the air such as

pm10.The plantings in the area

promote the creation of wooded areas in the city that can be

enjoyed and accessed by citizens, improving air quality

and the urban environment

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Municipal partners

TOC Modena

375 trees

Bologna 380

trees

TOC Imola

Faenza 270

trees

TOC Forlì Cesena

310 trees

TOC Rimini

260 trees

TOC Ferrara

200 trees TOC

Ravenna 205

trees

The new green areas can be created, upon

the achievement of the objectives, in all the

municipalities participating in the

initiative. All 185 municipalities served are involved in the initiative and today the 23 largest cities (>

20,000 inhabitants) have already joined, identifying the areas

where the approximately 1,500 trees will be planted.

We are currently working towards involving smaller

municipalities (< 20,000 inhabitants) in the

project.

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The species

…and many others…Hackberry, Cherry, Beech, Ash, Larch, Sea

Buckthorn, Elderberry, Lime

White willow Black alder Elm White poplar

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The green areas

The 23 Municipalities involved up to today have identified 39 green areas divided as follows:

22 improvements of existing parks and public gardens

12 new green areas4 school gardens

1 bicycle path

6 criteria for identifying the areas: environmental and social aspects

Contribution to biodiversityAbsorption capacityVisibility of the area

Urban regeneration and social value

Involvement of the local community

Urban-environmental value

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Thank you for your attention!

www.alberi.gruppohera.itwww.gruppohera.it