Jakarta – The International Finance Corporation has certified the Istiqlal Mosque as a green place of worship, making it the first mosque in the world to achieve an Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies (EDGE) award (IFC).
Azam Khan, IFC country manager for Indonesia and Timor-Leste, handed the certificate to Nasaruddin Umar, Grand Imam of the Istiqlal Mosque, here on Wednesday.
“The mosque is presently creating history as the world’s first mosque to acquire the EDGE certificate as a green building,” Khan said.
The mosque received the designation because the place of worship was restored using an ecologically friendly idea that has been shown to drastically lower its carbon footprint.
The rejuvenation improved the building’s water and energy efficiency by adding energy-efficient roofs, outside walls, and lights, as well as smart energy meters and solar panels, which support more than 13 percent of the building’s power use.
“The superb design for increased efficiency seeks to combat climate change and minimize carbon emissions,” Khan stated.
He noted that the mosque is already conserving 23 percent of its energy by employing low-flow faucets, as well as installing water treatment and recycling systems, which have decreased the building’s water use by 36 percent.
Meanwhile, Nasaruddin, the Grand Imam of Istiqlal Mosque, stated that an ecologically friendly mosque may increase the quality of prayers and is in compliance with the Prophet Muhammad’s instructions.
“We are really delighted to be the world’s first mosque to receive EDGE accreditation,” he said.
The award indicates the administrators of Istiqlal Mosque’s dedication to environmental sustainability in Indonesia, he noted.