The American University of Ras Al Khaimah (Aurak) has signed an agreement with Neon Energy Green Building Construction Materials, a multinational German company which focuses on energy-efficiency and renewable solutions.

As per the deal, Neon Energy will assist the university throughout its participation in the 2018 Solar Decathlon Middle East competition, which will see Aurak construct an entirely sustainable, zero-energy home, remarked Prof Hassan Hamdan Al Alkim, the president of the university, after signing the deal with top Neon Energy officials CEO Alexis Gianniotis and COO Marios Gekas.

The agreement ensures that the students who form the university’s team will receive training, support and the latest technology from the German group as they participate in the prestigious eventm, he stated.

Neon Energy, in addition to its office in Dubai, also operates in Greece, Turkey, Romania and Bulgaria, as well as New York and California in the US.

Prof Al Alkim said: "This competition puts Aurak in the spotlight, so we are striving to ensure that our team has world-class expertise and state-of-the-art technology. This type of support will enable us to reach our full potential and really show the world what we are capable of."

According to him, the German firm will also collaborate with Aurak in terms of research, through its RAK Research and Innovation Center, which specialises in harnessing solar energy for a number of tasks, such as cooling and water desalination.

On the partnership, Gianniotis said: "It’s our duty to contribute to the environmental sustainability of the UAE. It is a great honor to be aligning this vision with the American University of Ras Al Khaimah."

The two entities have also agreed to cooperate in the provision of Rakric’s energy auditing services, to exchange relevant information and expertise. Similar to the Rakric, Neon Energy focuses on energy-efficient solutions, energy-efficient aluminum systems, and renewable energy solutions.

Prof Mousa Mohsen, dean of the university’s School of Engineering and director of Rakric, stated, “There is a lot of exciting work in these fields and we are looking forwarding to working alongside Neon Energy as we attempt to provide the world with viable renewable energy solutions.”

Specific areas that the two parties intend to investigate include LED lighting, photovoltaic cells and electrical power systems.-TradeArabia News Service