A Dutch diplomatic delegation headed by Hans Sandee, Consul General of the Netherlands to Dubai, visited the Solar Decathlon Middle East, SDME, site at the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park. The delegation toured a number of houses built by the participating teams and met the students behind these innovative projects.
The delegation also met officials from Dubai Electricity and Water Authority, DEWA, to get details of this year’s SDME competition, which is organised for the first time in the Middle East and Africa. Fifteen teams representing 28 universities from around the world are taking part in competition. This is part of a partnership between the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy, DEWA, and the US Department of Energy. Dubai will host the second SDME in 2020 in conjunction with Expo 2020. Total prizes for the two competition are over AED20 million.
The Dutch Consul General commended DEWA’s efforts in organising the SDME according to the highest international standards, as well as the efforts made by all stakeholders in organising this world-class event in Dubai, working as one team to ensure its success, adding to Dubai’s track-record of excellence and leadership. At the end of the visit, the delegation toured the site on bicycles.
Team VIRTUe from Eindhoven University of Technology and Fontys University of Applied Sciences, Eindhoven, Netherlands, are taking part in the SDME. VIRTUe’s LINQ concept lets smart technologies complement and strengthen each other to create an interactive environment for people, reflecting a residential complex in a Dubai neighbourhood.