PAOLO MERLONI GRADUATED HONORIS CAUSA IN ENERGY ENGINEERING AT POLITECNICO DI MILANO

Paolo Merloni graduated honoris causa in Energy Engineering at Politecnico di Milano, for the use of technological innovation as a development tool and the impact of the thermal comfort industry progress on the society. Paolo Merloni received an honorary master's degree in Energy Engineering from Politecnico di Milano. The ceremony opened with greetings by Politecnico di Milano Rector, Professor Ferruccio Resta and continued with the Laudatio by Department of Energy Professor Mario Motta, followed by the Lectio Magistralis by Paolo Merloni. At the conclusion of the ceremony, Professor Antonio Capone, Dean of the School of Industrial and Information Engineering, read the reasons for the honorary degree: “The School of Industrial and Information Engineering awards the Honoris Causa Master's Degree to Paolo Merloni, Executive Chairman of Ariston Group, as an exemplary figure of manager in the energy sector and an innovator for the energy transition. During his career, Paolo Merloni has demonstrated excellent capabilities to grow Ariston Group – a company part of the Italian industrial heritage – through strong expansion, a push towards internationalization, investments in talents and a great innovation in the direction of energy efficiency. As a result of Paolo Merloni's vision and work, Ariston Innovative Technologies was created – a research and development center located in the Lombardy Region that collaborates with Politecnico di Milano to develop medium and long-term researches on new sustainable technologies. Again on the basis of Merloni's vision, Ariston Group introduced heat pumps for domestic hot water for the first time in Europe as well as increased its commitment to sustainability through the development of new hybrid solutions, solar thermal, connected systems for monitoring consumption and for remote diagnostic and Demand Response services. The approach, vision and ideas that Paolo Merloni has pursued throughout his career are completely in line with the cultural project of the Master's Degree Course in Energy Engineering at the Politecnico di Milano and make him an example figure for our teachers and students".