Could We Design and Plan a Sustainable Future? A Possible Challenge.

Processes that aim at continuous innovation and help to plan paths that can support and help to build sustainable development are encouraged by all of us and in particular by public administrations and private companies. Solar Decathlon Middle East 2018 is an international competition, aiming to design and realize the best sustainable and energy-efficient housing prototype on a real scale. The project aims to create a smart solar house that can guarantee maximum efficiency and effectiveness in the use of technology resources and provide an attractive, accessible, and comfortable environment. The aim of the paper is to analyze the contest from educational standpoint, highlighting the aspects of smart systems and smart people. The university team which is competing in this edition has the objective of designing and building in two years a full-scale prototype of the best and most attractive sustainable, zero energy, and smart solar house.