Abu Dhabi: Masdar City, a sustainable urban community in Abu Dhabi, has announced the region’s first net-zero energy mosque.
Masdar City hopes to set a new industry standard for houses of worship in the region through an innovative design that blends environmental protection with cultural heritage and community building.
The 2,349-square-meter structure, with a capacity for 1,300 worshippers, will produce at least 100 percent of the energy it needs over a year using 1,590 m² of on-site PV panels. The mosque’s total energy requirements were reduced by 35 percent compared to international baselines using passive design, an architectural approach that responds to environmental conditions.
The mosque’s main structure will be made primarily of rammed earth, and a series of tiered windows on the roof will allow the space to be illuminated with cascading natural light patterns. Outdoor colonnades will offer shade from the sun as worshippers transition from the outdoors to the sacred inner space.
“We have designed and created several net-zero energy projects, but this one has particular significance for us and for me personally—particularly given we’re announcing it during COP28,” remarked Mr. Mohamed Al Breiki, the executive director of sustainable development at Masdar City.
“It will be more than a gathering place, a community hub, or a place of worship. It will take people on a cultural, spiritual, and environmental journey, serving as a powerful symbol of our commitment as responsible stewards of the earth. This mosque is our gift to the community,” Mr. Al Breiki added.
The mosque will break ground in 2024, with the completion date to be announced in the coming months.
The new mosque is only one of several net-zero energy projects in Masdar City. NZ1, the country’s first net-zero energy commercial building, was unveiled in December, while two additional net-zero energy commercial and residential buildings are under construction: Masdar City Square’s HQ building, which will be complete in 2024, and The Link’s Co-Lab building, a net-zero energy shared working and living space, will be complete in 2025.