HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer reviews progress at Al Shera’a, DEWA’s headquarters

HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA), has reviewed progress at Al Shera’a Building, DEWA’s headquarters in Al Jaddaf, Dubai. This sustainable architectural masterpiece will be the tallest, largest and smartest energy-positive government building in the world. Al Shera’a’s built-up area exceeds two million square feet and the value of the project has reached approximately AED 1.5 billion. Construction, engineering and procurement works are scheduled to be completed in the fourth quarter of 2025.

Al Tayer was accompanied by Abdullah Obaidullah, Executive Vice President of Water & Civil; Waleed bin Salman, Executive Vice President of Business Development and Excellence; Marwan Bin Haidar, Executive Vice President of Innovation and the Future at DEWA; and the project team.

“We are guided by the vision and directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to make Dubai a global hub for clean energy and the green economy. We contribute to accelerating the shift towards zero-energy buildings and establishing a sustainable energy model that supports economic growth without harming the environment and its resources. Through this, DEWA aims to establish a global model of buildings that strike a balance between development and the environment, preserving the right of future generations to live in a clean, healthy and safe environment,” said Al Tayer.

“Al Shera’a highlights the leading role of Dubai and DEWA in encouraging the adoption of a sustainable lifestyle and using the latest technologies and innovative solutions to support sustainable urban development in Dubai. It also helps achieve DEWA’s goals in line with the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050 and the Dubai Net Zero Carbon Emissions Strategy 2050 to provide 100% of the Emirate’s energy production capacity from clean energy sources by 2050,” added Al Tayer.

Al Shera’a features 15 floors, a basement and five floors of parking. The building can accommodate 3,000 employees. DEWA’s headquarters is designed to receive a platinum Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating and a gold rating from the WELL Building Standard. The building utilises an advanced technological ecosystem including the Internet of Things (IoT), Big Data analysis and artificial intelligence (AI), as well as modern renewable energy solutions that deliver exceptional efficiency. It is intended to use 50% less water than conventional buildings. Al Shera’a will be directly connected via a direct bridge to Al Jaddaf metro station, encouraging the use of public transport, reducing traffic and lowering the carbon footprint.

The building’s facilities include a 500-seat auditorium, training halls, an innovation centre, exhibition spaces, a nursery for the children of female employees and sports halls. Photovoltaic solar panels will cover more than 20,000 square metres to achieve over 4,000 kilowatts (KWp) capacity. Additionally, more than 1,000 square metres of building-integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) panels in the façade, about 2,000 square metres of podium fins, as well as fibre-optic collectors, shaded structure PV panels and solar trees will collectively achieve a capacity of 5000 KWp upon completion. This will help ensure that Al Shera’a achieves its net-zero targets. The building will generate over 7,000 megawatt-hours (MWh/annum) of renewable energy annually. Robots will be used to clean the photovoltaic solar panels and for security purposes.