Al Sheraa

Al Sheraa Commercial Space by Dubai Electricity and Water Authority at Al Jaddaf. Al-Sheraa is the new headquarters building for Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA). It is being built on a 200,000 square foot plot in Cultural Village in Al Jadaf.

A contract for the first phase of construction was awarded in July 2017 to Dutco Balfour Beatty. The contract includes shoring, dewatering, excavation, piling, fencing and associated works.

Rising from eight floors on one side to 23 on the other, Al-Sheraa aims to be the tallest, largest, and smartest government net Zero Energy Building (ZEB) in the world. It will have 16,500 square metres of photovoltaic solar panels on the roof to produce over 3,500 kilowatts (kW), as well as an additional 2,000 square metres of building-integrated photovoltaic panels.

It is estimated that the total renewable energy generated from the building will be over 5,800-megawatt hours (MWh) per year, matching or exceeding the total energy used on-site during that year.

Al-Sheraa’s design takes its inspiration from traditional UAE houses, where enclosed spaces overlook an open courtyard. The courtyard will be the focal point and the most prominent feature of the building.

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.