Watch: New ‘green’ mosque in Abu Dhabi uses 50% less energy and conserves 48% water – News

A new eco-friendly mosque has opened in Abu Dhabi focusing on community and the environment.

Masdar City, the UAE’s innovation and sustainability hub, inaugurated its first mosque called Estidama Mosque. The new 500 square meter domed structure at Masdar Park has been designed to use more than 50 percent less energy than conventional mosque buildings. Photovoltaic solar panels installed on the shutters of the nearby parking lot cover a portion of the building’s remaining energy needs.

The mosque also conserves about 48 percent of its water. A water treatment unit allows greywater to be used to irrigate the plants in the garden surrounding the mosque.

“We are proud of the fact that this unique design is on track to become Abu Dhabi’s first LEED Platinum mosque,” said the engineer. Mohamed Al Breiki, Executive Director of Sustainable Development at Masdar City.

LEED Platinum is the highest international standard for green buildings, awarded by the US Green Buildings Council. Estidama 3-Pearl is a rating given by the UAE Estidama Pearl Rating System, which is designed for the physical environment of the UAE and focuses on water conservation.

“Our designs meet all requirements for both LEED Platinum and Estidama 3-Pearl, and we anticipate receiving certifications later this year.”

The mosque meets the highest international sustainability standards and can accommodate 335 worshipers for each of the five daily prayers.

“The Estidama Mosque is a powerful symbol of our commitment to our community, our faith and responsible stewardship of the land. “We see this as much more than a house of worship – it is a community gathering place in the heart of our city where worshipers can look forward to a journey that is both environmentally conscious and spiritually profound.”

Masdar City designed the Estidama Mosque in collaboration with X-Architects with a focus on passive design. It is an architectural technique that works with the local environment and the physical components of a building to minimize the need for energy-intensive cooling.

Skylights in the roof are compact and traditional Arabic screens maximize natural light and minimize heat generated by direct sun. The building also has a low surface-to-volume ratio, a tight envelope and high-performance insulation. Additionally, the main paths to the building and courtyard are shaded by trees, and smart sensors within the building allow for precise management of lighting and ventilation based on building occupancy. All of these features work together to reduce the need for cooling.

Al Breiki and Ahmed Baghoum, CEO of Masdar City, participated in an opening ceremony for the mosque along with senior leaders of Masdar City shareholder Mubadala Investment Company: Homaid Al Shimmari, Deputy CEO and Chief Corporate Officer and of human capital; Dr Bakheet Al Katheeri, CEO of Mubadala Investment Platform in the UAE; and Khalifa Al Romaithi, CEO of UAE Real Estate, along with Anwar Al Hanaei, Director of the General Authority of Islamic Affairs and Endowments.

Masdar City’s second mosque, a much larger net-zero energy building that will house 1,300 worshipers, was announced during COP28 and is expected to begin construction this year. Several other net-zero energy projects are under construction.

[ad_2]