Masdar City, an Abu Dhabi-based sustainability and innovation hub, has inaugurated its Estidama Mosque located in Masdar Park, which is set to become the emirate's first LEED Platinum mosque.

 

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

 

The new, 500-sq-m domed structure, located in Masdar Park, adheres to the highest international sustainability standards and can accommodate 335 worshippers for each of the five daily prayers, said the Abu Dhabi group.

 

It was designed by Masdar City in collaboration with X-Architects with a focus on passive design, an approach they champion across the city. 

 

It is an architectural technique that works with the local environment and a building's physical components to minimise the need for energy-intensive cooling, it stated.

 

Skylights on the roof are compact, and traditional Arabic screens maximise natural light while minimising heat generated by direct sun. The building also has a low surface-area-to-volume ratio, an airtight building envelope, and high-performance insulation, it added.

 

Additionally, the primary pathways to the building and the courtyard are shaded by trees, and intelligent sensors within the building enable precise management of lighting and ventilation based on building occupancy. All of these features work together to reduce the need for cooling.

 

Solar photovoltaic panels, installed on the nearby car parking shades, produce a portion of the building's remaining energy requirements, it stated.

 

"Estidama Mosque is a powerful symbol of our commitment to our community, our faith, and responsible stewardship of the earth," remarked Mohamed Al Breiki, Masdar City's Executive Director of Sustainable Development, at the opening ceremony. 

 

"We see this as so much more than a house of worship—it's a community gathering place in the heart of our city where worshippers can look forward to a journey that is both environmentally conscious and spiritually profound."

 

In total, the mosque will use over 50% less energy than a traditional mosque building, stated Al Breiki. 

 

The mosque also conserves about 48% of its water. A water treatment unit allows grey water to be used to irrigate plants in the mosque's garden.

 

"We're proud of the fact that this unique design is on track to be Abu Dhabi's first LEED Platinum mosque," said Al Breiki. 

 

"Our designs meet all the requirements for both LEED Platinum and Estidama 3-Pearl, and we anticipate receiving the certifications later this year," he added.

 

Masdar City's second mosque, a much larger, net-zero energy building that will accommodate 1,300 worshippers, was announced during COP28 and is expected to break ground in 2024.