WETEX 2026 highlights sustainable and resilient technologies shaping cities of the future

Transformations in the construction and infrastructure sector are accelerating as cities expand and pressures related to climate change, population growth and increasing demand for energy and resources continue to intensify. This is prompting a reassessment of the entire lifecycle of buildings and urban infrastructure, from the selection of construction materials and design through to construction, operation, maintenance, upgrades and asset management. Recent data from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) indicate that the buildings and construction sector accounts for around 37% of global carbon dioxide emissions and nearly 50% of global material extraction, placing the development of the built environment at the heart of global efforts to create low-carbon cities with greater capacity to adapt to future challenges.

Against this backdrop, the 28th edition of the Water, Energy, Technology and Environment Exhibition (WETEX 2026) will highlight technologies and solutions that support the development of smart and sustainable cities, bringing together the construction, infrastructure development, engineering services, sustainability, energy, water and digital transformation sectors.

Organised by Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA), WETEX will take place from 20 to 22 October 2026 at the Dubai World Trade Centre. The exhibition provides a platform that brings together companies, developers, engineers, technology providers and decision-makers to explore solutions capable of improving the efficiency of buildings and infrastructure, reducing their carbon footprint and enhancing their resilience and ability to adapt to climatic and operational changes. This forms part of the broad range of sectors covered by WETEX, including sustainable cities, decarbonisation, artificial intelligence (AI), digital transformation and green technologies.

“The ability to build sustainable and resilient cities is linked to turning innovation into investment decisions and viable projects that deliver sustainable value throughout the asset lifecycle. Dubai recognised early on that developing the cities of the future requires a vision that goes beyond a project's efficiency at the time of construction to encompass its ability to maintain performance, adapt and preserve its reliability and economic value in a rapidly changing environment. Through WETEX, we work to accelerate the transition of promising solutions from development and experimentation to large-scale implementation while creating opportunities to forge significant partnerships, develop pioneering business models and attract major investments that support this transformation and strengthen integration between environmental, economic and operational priorities. We believe that the most competitive cities of the future will be those that develop infrastructure capable of responding to change and creating sustainable value for society, the economy and future generations,” said HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of DEWA, Founder and Chairman of WETEX.

Low-carbon materials from the design stage

Reducing the carbon footprint of buildings extends well beyond the operational phase, particularly to the selection of construction materials. Low-emission alternatives for cement, concrete and steel, together with the use of recycled materials and improved resource efficiency, are becoming increasingly important in the global construction sector, alongside the development of more accurate tools for measuring embodied carbon in materials and structures throughout their lifecycle. UNEP indicates that key construction materials such as cement and steel account for a significant share of the sector’s carbon footprint, underscoring the need for solutions that combine structural performance, durability, resource efficiency and emissions reduction.

This transformation goes hand in hand with advances in energy-efficient engineering design through improved building envelopes, greater use of natural lighting, thermal load management, more efficient cooling and lighting systems, and the integration of renewable energy, energy storage and water solutions from the earliest stages of design. Sustainability thus becomes an integral part of a project's engineering and economic decisions, helping to reduce resource consumption and long-term operating costs while improving indoor environmental quality and the operational resilience of buildings.

Smart buildings

Digitalisation, AI and the Internet of Things (IoT) are opening new possibilities for building management. Sensors and digital platforms enable real-time monitoring of energy and water consumption, air quality, cooling and lighting systems and occupancy levels, while advanced analytics help predict faults and optimise system performance based on actual usage patterns. Digital twins and Building Information Modelling (BIM) provide advanced tools that connect the design, construction and operation stages within an integrated information model, helping engineers and operators test scenarios, improve performance and make more informed decisions throughout an asset's lifecycle.

District cooling and urban efficiency

District cooling is an important component of sustainable urban infrastructure, particularly in high-density urban environments. These systems rely on the centralised production of chilled water, which is then distributed through interconnected networks serving multiple buildings. This enables cooling loads to be managed on a broader scale and improves energy efficiency compared to standalone systems. District cooling systems can reduce energy consumption for cooling by up to 50% compared to conventional cooling systems, while thermal energy storage technologies, AI, data analytics and the use of treated water provide opportunities for additional energy and water savings and improved operational efficiency.

From digital construction to resilient infrastructure

Digitalisation extends beyond individual buildings to city-wide infrastructure projects. BIM, digital twins, AI, drones and connected sensors enable real-time monitoring of project and asset performance, optimisation of material and resource use, early risk identification and predictive maintenance. Digital simulations also help assess asset performance under different operational and climatic conditions before they occur, contributing to the design of networks and facilities that are better able to withstand extreme heat, flooding, supply disruptions and sudden changes in demand.

In this context, specialised engineering services play an increasingly important role, with engineering consultancy and design now integrating energy and water efficiency, lifecycle emissions calculations, climate resilience, digital integration, and risk and asset management. The success of future infrastructure increasingly depends on the ability of different disciplines to work within a single ecosystem that connects architectural and engineering design with energy, cooling, water, mobility and communications systems, while leveraging data to improve operational efficiency and service continuity.

A global platform

These transformations provide participating companies at WETEX 2026 with broad opportunities to showcase solutions that integrate low-carbon construction materials, energy-efficient design, smart buildings, district cooling, digital construction, advanced engineering services and infrastructure resilience. Following the success of the 2025 edition, which attracted 3,100 exhibitors and more than 50,000 visitors from around the world, WETEX continues to strengthen its role as a global platform that connects innovative technologies with investment opportunities, projects and strategic partnerships, while supporting the transition from standalone sustainability solutions to integrated urban ecosystems that are better prepared for the future.