Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa) has awarded a Dh46-million ($12.5 million) contract to leading UAE contracting firm Dutco Balfour Beatty for the development of the first phase of its new headquarters, Al Sheraa, said a report.

Dutco Balfour Beatty won the deal after beating 10 leading international companies with the lowest bid, reported state news agency Wam.

The scope of work in Phase One includes shoring, dewatering, excavation, piling, fencing and associated works, it stated.

Al Sheraa will be the tallest, largest, and smartest government net Zero Energy Building (ZEB) in the world. It will have a built-up area of 1.5 million sq ft, covering over 200,000 sq ft of land in the heart of the Cultural Village in Al Jadaf.

The building will have 16,500 sq m of photovoltaic solar panels on the roof to produce over 3,500 kilowatts (kW). The building will also include an additional 2,000 sq m of building-integrated photovoltaic panels.

The total renewable energy generated from the building is over 5,800 megawatt hours (MWh) per year. The building will be completed and inaugurated in the last quarter of 2019, stated the Wam report.

Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, the managing director and CEO of Dewa, said: "By building Al Sheraa, we establish a role model in Dubai and the world to achieve a balance between development and the environment, to protect the right of future generations to live in a clean, healthy and safe environment."

"This supports Vision 2021 to make the UAE one of the best countries in the world, and the Dubai Plan 2021, to make Dubai the preferred place to live, work, and visit," he noted.

Al-Sheraa’s design was inspired by the UAE’s traditional houses, where enclosed spaces overlook an open courtyard. The courtyard will be the focal point and most prominent feature of the building, said the Wam report.

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.

The courtyard features trees, planted areas, and plants within a sustainable environment. The courtyard will give occupants and visitors an outdoor feeling in an indoor setting, stated the report.

The building will use the latest technologies including the Internet of Things (IoT), Big Data and Open Data, and Artificial Intelligence (AI). Robots will be used for cleaning and to provide security services. A smart app will alert employees about the time they should leave their homes based on the traffic.

The same app can be used to book parking spaces and meeting rooms. It can be also be used by visitors to easily reach the building and meeting rooms.

The total energy used in the building in a year is equal to or less than that produced on site during that year. Dewa’s new headquarters is targeted to receive a platinum rating by Leed (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), where platinum is the highest certification, it added.