This collegiate competition challenges multidisciplinary teams of students to design and build solar-powered houses. Teams will assemble their houses in an expo open to the public.

The 2018 edition of this competition has been organized by the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) at the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park.

The Solar Decathlon Middle East (SDME) consists of 10 contests that have been customised to challenge the teams to adapt their designs to the heat, dust and high humidity experienced in the Middle East. The projects are developed by multidisciplinary teams, giving the students the opportunity to learn about technical issues, teamwork, communication skills, and sustainable lifestyle and socio-economic issues in order to ensure the viability of their project.

This event has been sponsored by the Supreme Council of Energy, ENOC, General Electric and Meydan.

About Solar Decathlon
In June 2015, the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy, Dubai Electricity and Water Authority, and the U.S. Department of Energy signed an agreement to collaborate on the development of Solar Decathlon Middle East (SDME 2018-2020), a competition that seeks to integrate unique local and regional characteristics.

The Solar Decathlon is an international competition created by the U.S. Department of Energy in which universities from all over the world meet to design, build and operate grid-connected, solar powered houses.

The houses use solar power as their only energy source and are equipped with all the technologies that permit maximum energy efficiency. During the final phase of the competition, teams assemble their houses in a main expo area open to the general public. The competition consists of 10 contests, which is why the event is called a Decathlon (‘Deca’ derives from the Greek word for ten).

The first Solar Decathlon was held in 2002 - previous editions have taken place in different cities throughout the U.S, Europe and China.