Masjid Istiqlal Becomes the World's First Environmentally Friendly Mosque

TheIndonesia.id - Istiqlal Mosque in Central Jakarta has officially become the first environmentally friendly mosque in the world after it was awarded a green building certification by the International Finance Corporation (IFC), which is a member of the World Bank Group.

The largest mosque in Southeast Asia was awarded the Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies, or EDGE, by IFC after it underwent an environmentally-friendly retrofit that has seen it significantly lower its carbon footprint.

"We are very honored that it has become the world's first mosque to be awarded final certification from EDGE. This remarkable achievement is clear evidence of our commitment to promoting conservation efforts both at the Istiqlal Mosque and across the country,” the Grand Imam of Istiqlal Mosque Nasaruddin Umar said in a statement on Wednesday, April 6.

The Ministry of Public Works and Housing collaborated with IFC, the Istiqlal Mosque Management Agency (BPMI), and the Green Building Council of Indonesia (GBC Indonesia) to redevelop the mosque to add environmentally friendly features that will boost water and energy efficiency of the building.

According to IFC, by using reflective paint for the roof and external walls, energy-saving lighting in internal and external spaces, smart energy meters, and solar photovoltaics that cover more than 13 percent of its electricity consumption, Istiqlal Mosque is expected to see an energy saving of 23 percent. With the use of low-flow faucets, grey water treatment and recycling, and other efficiency measures, overall water consumption will be reduced by as much as 36 percent.

IFC’s country manager for Indonesia and Timor Leste Azam Khan said the project has proven that collaboration can be very effective in an attempt to counter climate change.

"Climate change is threatening lives and livelihoods and is slowing progress on poverty reduction while climate-related disasters are becoming more frequent, including in Indonesia,” Khan said.

“There are also opportunities to take direct action, and the redevelopment of the Istiqlal Mosque shows that investing in climate resilient infrastructure, including green buildings, can make a measurable difference.”

In addition to the final EDGE certification, the Istiqlal Mosque is also undergoing a GREENSHIP assessment from GBC Indonesia and has also received the Ecomasjid predicate, initiated by the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI).