Dubai: Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) has begun construction works on a new headquarters, which is set to be the tallest, largest, and smartest net Zero Energy Building (ZEB) in the world.
A zero energy building is a building with zero net energy consumption.
The new headquarters named Al Sheraa (Arabic for sail) is being built over an area of a million and a half square feet, on 200,000 square feet of land. Al Sheraa, which is being built in the heart of the Cultural Village in Al Jadaf, is designed to accommodate 5,000 employees, in addition to customers and visitors, according to a DEWA spokesperson.
Photovoltaic cells will be installed on the rooftop of the new building covering an area of 165,000 square metres. The cells will be capable of generating 3,500 kilowatt hours per hour.
The building, which will also be equipped with compact solar panels covering an area of 10,000 square metres, will produce more than 7,000 megawatts per hour per year of renewable energy while the energy density will record 70 kilowatt hours per square metre per year.
The headquarters’ design was inspired by the UAE’s traditional houses, where enclosed spaces overlook an open courtyard.
The courtyard will be the focal point and most prominent feature of the building and to reduce heat in the open courtyard, a sail design is used to provide shaded areas.
Natural light during the day will stream through specific openings in the sail, giving sufficient light without the associated heat.
The courtyard includes trees, planted areas, and birds within a sustainable environment.
The spokesperson said the courtyard will also give occupants and visitors an outdoor feeling in an indoor setting.
The building will use the latest technologies including internet of Things (IoT), Big Data and Open Data, and Artificial Intelligence (AI).
Robots will be used for cleaning and to provide security services. A smart app will alert the employees about the time they should leave their homes based on the traffic.
