USD 6.8 million eco-friendly mosque in Dubai next year

The 45,000 sq ft mosque in an area of 105,000 square feet will come up by 2013, the Awqaf and Minors Affairs Foundation has announced.

The project is expected to cost USD 6.8 million and the facility will accommodate 3,500 worshippers at one time.

According to the foundation, the mosque will feature green spaces, particularly gardens on the roof for heat insulation.

In addition, the mosque will have technologies such as solar panels to heat water for ablution and recycle plants to treat water for gardening and washroom purposes.

The mosque will also house the Imam's (priest) house and will be equipped with the latest technologies in energy efficiency to curb wastage in air-conditioning and air purity system.

The mosque will be constructed with eco-friendly materials and avoid the use of asbestos and polystyrene. It will additionally use thermal insulation, programmed and automatic thermostat, suction fans with energy recovery units, and natural light and heat-reflective colours, especially at the interfaces and roofs.

Tayeb Abdulrahman Al-Rais, Secretary-General of the AMAF, said that with the global call for energy conservation, it is essential for developers to take responsibility for creating buildings that comply with green standards.

"The construction of the mosque is in line with the UAE leadership