The 28th edition of the Water, Energy, Technology and Environment Exhibition (Wetex 2026) will highlight how sustainable and resilient technologies support smart cities.

Recent data from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) indicate that the buildings and construction sector accounts for around 37% of global carbon dioxide emissions and nearly 50% of global material extraction, placing the built environment at the centre of efforts to develop low-carbon, resilient cities, an Emirates News Agency (WAM) report said. 

Organised by Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA), Wetex will take place from October 20 to 22, 2026, at the Dubai World Trade Centre, bringing together companies, developers, engineers, technology providers and decision-makers.

Improving efficiency

The exhibition will showcase solutions across construction, infrastructure development, engineering services, sustainability, energy, water and digital transformation, with a focus on improving efficiency, reducing carbon footprints and strengthening resilience to climatic and operational changes.

Wetex also covers sustainable cities, decarbonisation, artificial intelligence (AI), digital transformation and green technologies.

Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD and CEO of Dewa, Founder and Chairman of Wetex, said: “The ability to build sustainable and resilient cities is linked to turning innovation into investment decisions and viable projects that deliver sustainable value throughout the asset lifecycle.

Developing cities of the future

“Dubai recognised early on that developing the cities of the future requires a vision that goes beyond a project's efficiency at the time of construction to encompass its ability to maintain performance, adapt and preserve its reliability and economic value in a rapidly changing environment.”

He added: “Through Wetex, we work to accelerate the transition of promising solutions from development and experimentation to large-scale implementation, while creating opportunities to forge significant partnerships, develop pioneering business models and attract major investments.

“We believe that the most competitive cities of the future will be those that develop infrastructure capable of responding to change and creating sustainable value for society, the economy and future generations.”

Wetex 2026 will provide participating companies with opportunities to showcase solutions spanning low-carbon construction materials, energy-efficient design, smart buildings, district cooling, digital construction and infrastructure resilience.

Following the success of the 2025 edition, which attracted 3,100 exhibitors and more than 50,000 visitors from around the world, Wetex continues to strengthen its role as a global platform connecting innovative technologies with investment opportunities, projects and strategic partnerships.—TradeArabia News Service