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 the 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 Cultural Village in Al Jadaf.

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