Fabio Morea is Head of Sustainability at Area Science Park in Trieste, Italy. His work focuses on data-driven approaches to innovation and sustainability, with particular emphasis on the energy transition. Fabio holds a PhD in Applied Data Science and Artificial Intelligence, and has a background in Materials Engineering. He brings over 20 years of professional experience in engineering, including contributions to Sustainable Energy and Climate Action Plans (SECAPs), renewable energy systems, and energy efficiency projects. He has also participated in international innovation programs, including interreg and Horizon, serving both as a technical expert and as an external evaluator.
Lecture: An engineer’s perspective on energy efficiency
The lecture provides an overview of energy efficiency as a key enabler of the energy transition. The first part introduces core concepts such as energy conservation vs. efficiency, subsystem optimization, end-use analysis, and the impact of user behavior. It highlights how improving efficiency helps reduce resource use, operational costs, and environmental impact.
The second part adopts an engineer’s perspective, using case studies from industry, buildings, and urban systems to illustrate practical solutions. Topics include technologies like insulation, variable speed drives, and heat recovery, as well as the use of data monitoring, control systems, and scenario planning. project management aspects—stakeholder involvement, feasibility, and risk—are also addressed to show how efficiency improvements can be effectively implemented.