Ras Al Khaimah in the northeast of the UAE is set to open its first smart and green mosque. The renovated mosque depends on solar-powered lights and an entirely automated energy-saving system, KhaleejTimes reported Wednesday, March 15.
The mosque, which will be opened to the public soon, is actually an old one in the Muairidh area, which has been refurbished.
“The speakers of the mosque turn on automatically the moment the Imam stands on the carpet for leading prayers, and later turn off at the end of the prayer,” Dr. Hisham Al Refaei Al Mansuri, the supervisor of the project told KhaleejTimes.
In a smart method that will also save a lot of energy, Al Mansuri stated that the lights of the mosque are solar-powered and automatically turn on and off, depending on the time of the prayers and number of worshipers.
“Similarly, the air conditioners turn on and off and change the temperature as per the weather conditions in summer and winter, and during the day according to the number of worshippers inside. The mosque runs on clean energy and is environment-friendly,” Al Mansuri explained.
The mosque was renovated in collaboration with 25 charity associations and a philanthropist. The total cost of the innovation was around $73,500 but according to Al Mansuri the renovation is expected to save water and power worth $2,900 every year.
The project, which is supported by the Dar Al Ber Society and Sharjah Charity Association, has been carried out in coordination with the UAE’s General Authority of Islamic Affairs and Endowments.
The temperature of the external water tanks is also controlled using solar power. “The ablution facilities are controlled by smart sensors to avoid wastage of water,” Al Mansuri clarified.
The used water is recycled and used for ablution after being automatically purified. Rainwater is collected and is used for irrigation purposes, too.
Such energy-saving initiative reflects a firm policy of the UAE as the country has also erected another eco-friendly mosque in Dubai three years ago.
Dubai’s Khalifa Al Tajer Mosque is described as the world’s first eco-friendly mosque, abiding by green building regulations, reported Climate Action in July 2014.
The mosque, which hosts a capacity crowd of over 3,500 persons, integrates the latest green technologies including an innovative new system that enables the water pressure to be adjustable and for used water to be recycled.
The exterior lighting poles of the mosque are fitted with solar panels, whilst the battery storage systems and water heaters are also powered by solar energy.
Energy-saving LED lights are used throughout the building, and are controlled by a sensor system that automatically switches them on or off as appropriate to conserve energy. There is also a climate control system installed for regulating the air-conditioning units.