NEWS
Competing against 8 International Universities, UoB Participates in the Solar Decathlon Middle East Competition in Dubai
University of Bahrain (Jasmin Khalaf)
October 25, 2021
A team from UOB has recently headed to Dubai, the United Arab Emirates, to participate in the Middle East Solar Decathlon competition, to compete against eight other teams from international universities, in constructing a smart home powered by solar energy at Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park.
The eight top teams, after qualifiers that consisted of 18 international university teams, will build a solar-powered smart home in no more than two weeks. It is planned that the winning team will be declared in November 2021.
This competition is organized by the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA), in cooperation with the Supreme Council of Energy, 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.
The team of the University of Bahrain attended the welcoming ceremony held on Sunday 24 October at Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, in Saih Al Dahal, Dubai. Managing Director and CEO of the Board of Directors of Dubai Electricity and Water Authority, Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, gave a speech in the presence of a number of officials, ambassadors and representatives of the participating countries, in which he explained the conditions of the competition and introduced the participating teams.
Dubai Electricity and Water Authority has allocated an area of more than 60,000 m² in Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park to host the 2nd edition of the Global Competition for Universities (Solar Decathlon Middle East), to design solar-powered buildings, which will be held in conjunction with Expo 2020 Dubai.
The competition contributes to engaging young people in the sustainable development process, encouraging them to innovate, and providing them with the opportunity to unleash their creativity, to develop innovative solutions that support global efforts to confront the effects of climate change, by designing, building and operating smart and sustainable models of solar-powered homes that are both cost-effective and energy-efficient, while focusing on preserving the environment, and paying attention to the climatic conditions of the region.
The Solar Decathlon Middle East Village includes spaces dedicated to holding workshops and seminars as well hosting major events. It also includes a lounge for students and visitors, a medical clinic, and various restaurants and cafes. The village is also equipped with the necessary elements to ensure that the participating university teams shall build their sustainable homes with the utmost ease and efficiency, while maintaining the highest levels of health and safety, in addition to following all the precautionary measures recommended by the concerned authorities in the United Arab Emirates, to reduce the spread of the Corona Virus (COVID-19) Pandemic.
