Dubai, UAE: A design proposal to build an environmentally friendly house jointly presented by two UAE based higher education institutions. The British University in Dubai and Heriot Watt University have put a proposal for Solar Decathlon Europe 2014 Competition forming UAE team. With more than 40 applications submitted from 23 different countries, the UAE Team is pleased to be included in the twenty seven teams from around the world classified as eligible to take part in the solar Decathlon Europe 2014. It is the only team from the Middle East, pioneering the regions involvement in this event and heralding the Solar Decathlon Middle East maybe in time.
Prof. Mohammad Dulaimi, Professor of Project Management at BUiD , commented on the forming of UAE team:” The CIB MENA Research Network has championed the opportunity to form a team from the UAE and take part in this international competition. In its effort to promote research and innovation in the construction industry, CIB MENA brought BUiD and Heriot Watt to form a team to design and build an environmentally friendly house. The final product will reflect the traditions and needs of society and will showcase the innovative ideas of the UAE industry. It will also demonstrate an innovative response to the challenge to provide a more sustainable solution to local society and the world ”
The Solar Decathlon is an international competition organized by the Department of Energy in USA. Universities from all over the world meet to design, build and operate an energy efficient house. In 2007 the Solar Decathlon Europe was created through an agreement between the ministry of housing of the government of Spain and the USA government in order to organize a sustainable solar competition in Europe in 2010 & 2012; France will host the 2014 solar decathlon.
During the final phase of the competition, the teams assemble their houses, and open them to the general public while undergoing the ten contests of the competition, hence the name: Decathlon. The competition takes place over a period of15 days, and each team’s house is rated for the contest by a jury. The jury is comprised of construction professionals, technicians and scientists. The ten different contests are in Architecture, Engineering and construction, solar installation, electric energy balance, comfort, equipment and operation, communication and social awareness, industrialization and market viability, innovation, and sustainability. This selection confirms the status of The British University in Dubai as the region’s leading research based university and it is a testament to BUiD ‘s commitment to sustainable building design and environment friendly buildings.
The UAE team consists of 14 post-graduate students and 11 faculty advisers from different specialties such as Sustainability and Environmental Science, Architecture, Interior Design MEP Engineering, Structural Engineering and Project Management. The UAE team aspires to design and build pioneer affordable net zero energy housing prototype which will be a model to follow for the Gulf region where similar constraints and opportunities exist
Abeer Manneh, student of Sustainable Design of the Built Environment programme at BUiD , commented: ” I ‘m delighted to be a member of the team representing the UAE in Solar Decathlon What is more interesting, is that the initiatives of this competition are in line with the future plans of the UAE, and will present a great opportunity for both students and researchers to contribute to the Emirati vision for green buildings and sustainable built environment. The objectives of this competition and the concept of the project specifically is a pioneer idea which could influence the current practices in housing design and construction in UAE and the region. I’m very proud to be part of an enthusiastic, ambitious, and qualified team, and looking forward for much success to come.”
The active involvement of BUiD ‘s students in this competition reasserts the university’s philosophy of encouraging the students’ involvement in practical design competitions and events locally and internationally.
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