By Rafiq Vayani
ABU DHABI: As the Holy Month of Ramadan begins, Masdar City Mosque is offering worshippers a spiritual sanctuary that reflects the UAE’s commitment to sustainability, cultural heritage, and community values. Blending heritage, innovation, and world-leading sustainability, Abu Dhabi’s first Net-Zero Energy Mosque sets a new benchmark for green religious architecture, providing a serene space for prayer, reflection, and gathering during Islam’s holiest month and beyond.
“The Masdar City Mosque demonstrates that places of worship can lead by example in sustainability,” said Ahmed Baghoum, CEO Masdar City. “Sustainability is deeply rooted in Islamic teachings, which call for balance, moderation, and stewardship of the Earth. We’re proud to welcome the community to a mosque that honors our Emirati architectural heritage while setting a new standard for environmental responsibility. This project shows that Net-Zero design is achievable today, not just in the future.”
Powered entirely by the sun, the mosque produces as much energy as it consumes annually and is inspired by Al Bidyah Mosque, one of the UAE’s oldest mosques. It holds LEED Platinum, 4 Pearl PBRS Estidama, and Net-Zero Energy Certification from the International Living Future Institute (ILFI).
The mosque features 1,074 m² of solar photovoltaic panels mounted on the prayer hall roof and parking shade structures, generating enough clean electricity to meet 100% of annual energy needs. It can accommodate up to 1,300 worshippers, while its 20.2-meter-high minaret serves as a striking landmark on the city skyline. The 42-meter-wide column-free prayer hall offers an uninterrupted space for worship, while the 319 m³ rammed earth Qibla wall, the first of its kind in a public building in Abu Dhabi, regulates temperature naturally and reflects centuries-old regional building traditions.
Sustainability features include passive design elements such as optimal orientation, shaded arcades, natural ventilation, and daylighting, complemented by district cooling, LED lighting, and Abu Dhabi’s first greywater recycling system in a mosque, which treats water from ablution and reuses it for irrigation.
This year also marks the UAE’s Year of Family, making the mosque’s role as a gathering place for families and the community during the Holy Month especially meaningful. Beyond Ramadan, the mosque will host regular faith-based and cultural gatherings that enhance social connections in Masdar City.
As part of Masdar City’s growing portfolio of Net-Zero projects, the mosque reinforces the city’s commitment to creating spaces that enhance quality of life, strengthen community ties, and support the UAE Net Zero by 2050 Strategic Initiative.
