A building that harnesses the power of the sun to cool indoor air and provide light at night is set to rise in the desert.
Once completed by December 15, the headquarters of Pacific Controls at the Dubai Techno Park will become the UAEs first full-fledged green building using solar energy for 80 per cent of its energy requirements.
Well still be connected to the power grid as back-up, said Dilip Rahuman, chief executive of Pacific Controls.
The Dh50-million building will become a nerve centre for monitoring facilities of 150 residential and commercial buildings of the Dubai Development Board and properties built by Emaar.
The system will also be linked to the Civil Defence network to combat emergencies.
The foundation of the four-storey, 106,00-square-foot structure was laid yesterday at the Techno Park, currently an empty desert patch on the Dubai-Abu Dhabi Highway.
The park seeks to attract hi-tech industries in energy, desalination, oil and gas and environmental engineering.
Instead of simple glass, the half-moon shaped Pacific Controls building will be clad in solar panels wired to a battery stack.
Sultan Ahmad Bin Sulayem, chairman of Dubais Ports, Customs AND Free Zone Corp (PCFZ) and chairman of property developer Nakheel, welcomed the project and said they will closely watch it and learn from it.
If this project proves successful, maybe we can use solar energy for some of reclaimed islands in The World project, said Bin Sulayem. Nakheel is selling 300 islands reclaimed from the sea off Jumeirah Beach, designed as upscale residential development.
At the ground-breaking ceremonies, Habiba Al Marashi, Emirates Environmental Group chairpeson, said: We hope this green initiative will show the way for the 21st century building designers and owners. We have abundant sunshine in the Gulf. Power generated by burning fossil fuels is cheap right now, but is expensive in the long run.
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