## 7 Conclusions  
The current paper proposes a new evaluation framework, the Advanced Global Evaluation Index, AGEL, to address the lack of suitable tools for assessing hybrid plant configurations, which combine both integrated and non-integrated machines. Additionally, the research provides a critical review of existing AWG evaluation tools, highlighting issues with their definitions and applicability, thereby offering a clearer understanding of their strengths and limitations. AGEL adopts the straightforward approach of the GEI metric, giving a single increasing number as the result of the evaluation process while overcoming the limitations of the previous tool. GEI proved effective for evaluating systems where one or more useful outputs are provided by a single machine, thus for homogenous configurations; however, even in its extended forms, GEIeq, it produced only approximated results where hybrid plants are concerned. The AGEL equation requires only knowledge of the covered useful effects of the plant, the number of machines composing the system, and the corresponding efficiencies or useful effect indicators. The index overcomes the limitations of earlier formulations and delivers results that more accurately reflect the true efficiency of hybrid plant setups. The two numerical examples reported in the paper show how the GEIeq formulations can slightly overestimate or underestimate hybrid configuration efficiency. In particular, in the first case, the index overestimated the efficiency by about 8.3% In the second case, the tool gave a result underestimating the real plant behaviour by about 6.7%. Conversely, AGEI perfectly aligned with the actual efficiency results for both cases. The study also presents the application of AGEI to three complex plant configurations, all of them applied to a real-world case. Through the straightforward results of the index, an immediate comparison among the three solutions was possible, enabling the selectionof the most efficient solution. The results are in compliance with the more complex and time-consuming analytical energy analysis carried out in [23]. In particular, the analyses highlighted that the most integrated solution, represented by the improvement of the original plant by means of an advanced integrated AWG machine, was the best choice, upgrading the overall efficiency by three and a half times. The AGEI metric enabled also an easy comparison between the two efficient configurations, 'B' and 'C', demonstrating that the former performed 14% better. Another key novelty of this paper is the first-ever comparison of energy efficiency, calculated using the WET indicator, between bottled water produced by a desalination system and atmospheric water generated by an AWG machine. The study demonstrates that the considered AWG system offers higher energy efficiency compared to desalination-based bottled water production. Fundamentally, AGEI represents notable progress in the development of evaluation tools, offering a more precise and adaptable method for assessing energy efficiency in complex hybrid plant setups. As the sector evolves, AGEI can facilitate a more sustainable and well-informed approach to decision-making in both the design and upgrading of integrated systems because it is an easy-to-use evaluation tool that facilitates the comparison among complex HVAC and AWG plant configurations to determine the most efficient one. Looking to the future, this research opens up opportunities for further advancements in plant efficiency assessment, particularly focusing on water quality considerations. Conceptualization, L.C., P.C. and A.M.; Methodology, L.C. ; Software, P.C. and R.F. ; Validation, L.C. and R.F. ; Formal analysis, L.C. and P.C. ; Investigation, L.C., P.C. and R.F. ; Resources, A.M.; Data curation, L.C. ; Writing--original draft, L.C. and R.F. ; Writing--review & editing, L.C., P.C. and A.M.; Visualization, L.C. ; Supervision, L.C. and A.M.; Funding acquisition, A.M. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.