Dewa awards Dh46 million contract for headquarter building

Al Sheraa is proposed to be the tallest, largest and smartest government net zero energy building in the world.

The Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa) has awarded a Dh46 million contract for the first phase of the construction of its new headquarters, called Al Sheraa, to Dutco Balfour Beatty, who offered the lowest bid and competed with 10 international companies.
The contract for Phase 1 includes shoring, dewatering, excavation, piling, fencing and associated works.

Al Sheraa is the tallest, largest and smartest government net zero energy building (ZEB) in the world. It will cover over 200,000 square feet in Culture Village, Al Jadaf.

The building will have 16,500 square metres of photovoltaic solar panels on the roof to produce over 3,500 kilowatts (kW). The building will also include an additional 2,000sqm of building-integrated photovoltaic panels. The total renewable energy generated from the building is over 5,800 megawatt hours (MWh) per year. The building will be completed in the last quarter of 2019.

"By building Al Sheraa, we establish a role model in Dubai and the world to achieve a balance between development and the environment, to protect the right of future generations to live in a clean, healthy and safe environment. This supports the UAE Vision 2021 to make the UAE one of the best countries in the world, and the Dubai Plan 2021 to make Dubai the preferred place to live, work and visit," said Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD and CEO of Dewa.

Al Sheraa's design was inspired by the UAE's traditional houses, where enclosed spaces overlook an open courtyard. The courtyard will be the focal point of the building. To reduce heat in the open courtyard, a sail design is used to provide shaded areas. Natural light will stream through openings in the sail. The courtyard features trees, planted areas and plants and will give occupants and visitors an outdoor feeling in an indoor setting.

The building will use the latest technologies, including the Internet of Things (IoT), Big Data and Open Data, and Artificial Intelligence. Robots will be used for cleaning and to provide security services. A smart app will alert employees about the time they should leave their homes based on traffic. The same app can be used to book parking spaces and meeting rooms. It can be also be used by visitors to easily reach the building and meeting rooms.

The total energy used in the building in a year will be equal to or less than the energy produced on site. Dewa's new headquarters is targeted to receive a platinum rating by Leed.

- business@khaleejtimes.com