A new “eco-mosque” that seeks LEED silver certification has recently opened in Dubai. Designed to set an example for other mosques and local residents, the Port Saeed mosque can accommodate 3,500 worshippers.

 

In addition to solar-powered water and solar-powered exterior lighting, the facility is equipped with a lot of low energy LED lights attached to a smart system that detects the presence of worshippers. The air-conditioning system is similarly rigged to know when there are a lot of people inside.

 

Exterior lights are equipped with small solar panels as well, reducing the mosque’s overall dependence on the grid.

 

Perhaps most important, though, is the water recycling system. Water is a precious commodity in Dubai. It’s all desalinated water that uses a substantial amount of energy and involves unsavory consequences for marine life when brine is pumped back into the Gulf.

 

After one year, a team of representatives will determine whether the mosque meets the requirements of a silver rating for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED).