Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) has invited universities from around the world to register for the second Solar Decathlon Middle East (SDME), which will be held next year in conjunction with Expo 2020 Dubai. This is part of a partnership between the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy, DEWA, and the US Department of Energy. The 2nd SDME builds on the success of the first SDME, which DEWA organised in November 2018 under the patronage of HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Executive Council of Dubai.

DEWA is organising a webinar to discuss how to participate and answer questions, on Wednesday, 27 March 2019 from 2-3:30pm UAE time (10-11:30am GMT). Interested parties can register by sending an email to sdme@dewa.gov.ae

“The 8 Principles of Governance in Dubai, launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, state ‘The Emirate’s prominence, sustainability and competitiveness depend on its capacity to continue attracting skilled and talented people, and nurturing the brightest minds to generate innovative ideas.’ The first Solar Decathlon Middle East, which DEWA organised for the first time in the Middle East and Africa, was a great success. It attracted over 600 students and academics, comprising 54 nationalities, and 15 teams from 28 universities in 11 countries, reflecting the UAE's position as a hub for creativity and an incubator for innovators. Dubai’s hosting of the first and second SDME, with total prizes exceeding AED 20 million, reflects the Emirate’s position as a city of the future that embraces sustainable solutions and provides space for creative youth from all over the world to innovate,” said HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of DEWA.

“SDME, which is the largest and most competitive and challenging competition among international universities, aims to involve the youth in the sustainable development process, encourage them to innovate and unleash their creativity in developing innovative solutions that support global efforts to address the negative impacts of climate change. We realise that young people are the driving force for building a brighter future. DEWA allocated 60,000 square-metres at the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, the largest single-site solar park in the world, for the first SDME. We saw innovative models for sustainable smart homes designed to suit the cultural, social, and climatic environment of the Middle East. We hope to see more sophisticated and developed models in the second SDME, which will be held in conjunction with Expo 2020 Dubai, whose theme ‘Connecting Minds, Creating the Future’ fits well with this distinguished international competition,” concluded Al Tayer.

SDME encourages the participating teams to design, build, and operate sustainable models of solar-powered homes, with a focus on protecting the environment, taking into consideration the climate of the region. The participating teams compete in 10 contests: architecture; engineering and building; energy management; energy efficiency; comfort conditions; house functioning; sustainable transport; sustainability; communications, and innovation. University teams can register or get more information on the competition's website: www.solardecathlonme.com or by contacting sdme@dewa.gov.ae