Published:
Heriot-Watt University has been selected to participate in the Solar Decathlon Middle East 2018 competition, which will see the winners walk away with prizes worth a combined Dh10 million (Approx. £2.2 million) in ten different categories.
The next leg of the competition will see them interacting with numerous industry partners from the UAE and UK to develop innovative solutions and technologies.
The competition organizers received a record number of proposals from teams around the globe. Announced at the World Green Economy Summit in October 2016, Heriot-Watt University will be competing against 21 other universities from around the world, six of them from the UAE, in an attempt to win the top spot.
Created by the U.S. Department of Energy, the Solar Decathlon will make its first appearance in the Middle East after the signing of a MoU with the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy (DSCE) and DEWA. The competition is open for participation to universities from around the globe with the goal of designing, building, and operating a grid-connected and energetically self-sustainable house. Students will compete in 10 designated categories, ranging from comfort and energy to management and engineering, to claim the cash prizes.
Dr. Amanda J. Hughes, one of the lead project advisors and Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Heriot-Watt University Dubai Campus, said, “Competitions such as these provide students with the opportunity to apply their skills in a genuinely creative and practical way, giving members of our team an opportunity to gain world-class skills and knowledge.
“Our students did a fantastic job in showcasing their skills in the submission we put forth. The next leg of the competition will see them interacting with numerous industry partners from the UAE and UK to develop innovative solutions and technologies to incorporate into the house.”
The final phase of the competition will take place in Dubai in 2018, where contestants will unveil their sustainable homes to the public and take part in the ten contests of the competition.