Dubai Electricity & Water Authority (DEWA) | Solar Decathlon Middle East 2021 transforms traditional house design into a smart and sustainable oasis

The second Solar Decathlon Middle East (SDME) for universities to design, build and operate sustainable solar-powered houses saw the submission of smart and sustainable designs to turn a traditional home in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region into a technological oasis with power efficient and water-saving features. The second SDME is organised by Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of Dubai Executive Council, as part of an agreement between DEWA, Dubai Supreme Council of Energy, and US Department of Energy.

“Hosting both editions of SDME, for the first time in the MEA region in Dubai, with a total prize up to AED20 million is a clear indication of Dubai’s position as a city of the future adopting the latest sustainable solutions and offers the world’s youth a safe space to innovate,” said HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of DEWA.

“DEWA works in line with the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai to engage the youth in innovating new solutions to combat climate change. The SDME aims to encourage young people to create designs for smart and sustainable, solar-powered homes, in line with the cultural, social, and climatic environment of the Middle East, as a part of our efforts to achieve sustainable development and reduce global warming,” added Tayer.

Team SCUTxCCSIC from the South China University of Technology submitted a sustainable design inspired by traditional houses in the region. The team developed the traditional MENA patio into a smart patio that adapts to weather changes, maximising the ability to harness sun, wind, and water to provide residents with power and water, with reduced consumption and maximum energy efficiency. Solar photovoltaic bifacial panels are used to shade the house from direct sunlight, capture and store solar power from the roof to generate electricity. The team also added technologies to treat rain and dirty water to reuse it for irrigation of the patio.

The second edition of the competition has attracted eight teams from 12 universities. The SDME village at the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park is open to the public between 11-25 November 2021. For more information on the competition, please visit www.solardecathlonme.com.