Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) announced the names of the teams picked to take part in the Solar Decathlon Middle East (SDME) 2018. Dubai will host the Solar Decathlon in 2018, and once again in 2020, to coincide with the Dubai Expo 2020. SDME was created through a contract between the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy, DEWA, and the United States Department of Energy. The decathlon challenges groups to create and develop smart houses that run entirely on solar power. The announcement of the chosen teams, was made during the World Green Economy Summit (WGES) 2016, which is held under the patronage of HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, and Ruler of Dubai. The summit is operating under the style "Driving the Global Green Economy", from 5th to 6th October at Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre.

WGES 2016 is hosted by DEWA, under the umbrella of the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy, in partnership with World Climate Ltd, and supported by the United Nations and worldwide partners. The Summit runs in combination with the 18th session of Water, Energy & Environment Exhibition (WETEX) and Dubai Solar Show 2016. As soon as the picked teams were revealed, the team leaders checked out the website where SDME 2018 will take place, at the Dubai Solar Show.

The chosen teams consisted of the following universities: Ajman University of Science & Technology-- UAE, American University in Dubai-- UAE, American University of Ras AlKhaimah-- UAE, Dhofar University-- Oman, Eindhoven University of Technology-- Netherlands, Gabriele D'Annunzio University of Chieti-Pescara-- Italy, Heriot-Watt University Dubai-- UAE, Ion Mincu University of Architecture and Urbanism-- Romania, Islamic Science University of Malaysia (Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia) - Malaysia, King Saud University-- KSA, National Chiao Tung University-- Taiwan, National University of Sciences and Technology-- Pakistan, New York University Abu Dhabi-- UAE, Qatar University-- Qatar, Sapienza University of Rome-- Italy, The Petroleum Institute-- UAE, The University of Jordan-- Jordan, University of Belgrade-- Serbia, University of Bordeaux-- France, University of Sharjah-- UAE, University of Wollongong-- Australia, and Virginia Tech-- USA.

Team leaders went to a dinner where they were joined by the competition management, faculty, and other trainees. A discussion was held to highlight green energy efficiency in the future.

"Hosting two versions of SDME, belongs to our ongoing efforts to achieve the vision of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to establish Dubai as a worldwide center for sustainability and development and to support the UAE Vision 2021, to make the UAE among the best countries in the world, and the Dubai Plan 2021, to additional Dubai's pioneering position as one of the world's greatest cities. We are pleased to announce the teams chosen to take part in the competitors, which were carefully selected by a specialised and experienced panel, who evaluated and examined their proposals. This process took numerous weeks," said HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, Vice Chairman of the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy and MD & CEO of DEWA.

"We are confident that this competition will accomplish its goals, and support the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050, released by HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, to change Dubai into a global center for clean energy and green economy, diversifying Dubai's energy, and increasing the contribution of renewable resource to reach 25% by 2030 and 75% by 2050," included Al Tayer.

Al Tayer noted that DEWA set an optimum of twenty propositions for the very first competition, but participation surpassed expectations to reach twice that number. Choosing the top twenty from a lot of excellent groups implies that the difficulty to style and construct a winning house will be more competitive and exciting.

"SDME will establish new levels of competition and more involvement than we could have hoped for," said Waleed Salman, Executive Vice President of Strategy & Business Development at DEWA.

"After being chosen, the teams will have 2 years to design and construct sustainable houses. After conclusion, groups will engage in 10 different contests, varying from architecture and engineering to sustainability and innovation. These contests intend to supply the taking part teams with important practical experience in clean energy design," included Salman.

The winners of the first SDME in 2018 will be granted cash prizes totalling AED 10 million. In October 2018, the solar-powered houses will be revealed at the SDME's website, with the public able to see these contestants in action as they provide their designs.

Universities will meet to design, build, and operate energy self-sufficient houses. Teams need to adapt their designs to combat the seasonal heat, dust and high humidity experienced in the region.