A cool green breeze will soon sweep through a new wind-powered mosque in German.
The newest eco mosque in Nordesrstedt, Germany will get the majority of its power from the wind. Although the earliest mosques did not have minarets, they have evolved as a landmark to which Muslims direct their daily prayers. They can also serve an environmental purpose. In addition to sucking up hot air and providing a natural ventilation system, Hamburg-based architect Selcuk Ünyilmaz has designed a minaret that captures wind energy.
Windy prayers
For €2.5m, Ünyilmaz will outfit the mosque’s two 22 meter high minarets with wind turbines and 1.5m glass rotor blades. These will be used to capture wind energy that will then be converted to satisfy 1/3 of the mosque’s energy requirements.
Replacing a more ramshackle house of worship for 200 Muslims, the new, mixed-use 1,300 square meter complex will include the mosque and a handful of entertainment and retail facilities.
Come one come all
At present, the community has not yet secured funds for the project, but Ugur Sütcü, the chairman of the Norderstedt congregation, is not concerned and hopes that people of every faith will feel encouraged to enjoy the eco-friendly facilities.
Not long after Germany vowed to end its nuclear power program, the new green-powered mosque puts the country one step closer to achieving its renewable energy commitment.
Next generation minarets
Part of the Turkish-Islamic Union for Religious Affairs, the Nordesrstedt mosque is the first of its kind, though the Islamic missionary group Tablighi Jamaat has plans to develop a similar building before the London 2012 Olympics.
A mosque in Turkey has incorporated solar panels, but given its persistent coastal breeze, the German mosque opted for wind energy instead. Local authorities hope that the facility will enjoy virtually uninterrupted access to energy even when the sun is not shining.
Eco-mosques throughout the world send a powerful environmental message to Muslims, who have a longstanding tradition (and in some cases a temporary amnesia) of environmental stewardship.
:: The Guardian
More eco-mosques:
5 Spectacular Eco Mosques of the Muslim World
Cambridge to Build World’s First Eco-Mosque
Mosque in Turkey Goes Solar
image via James.Gordon6108
Author: Tafline Laylin
As a tour leader who led “eco-friendly” camping trips throughout North America, Tafline soon realized that she was instead leaving behind a trail of gas fumes, plastic bottles and Pringles. In fact, wherever she traveled – whether it was Viet Nam or South Africa or England – it became clear how inefficiently the mandate to re-think our consumer culture is reaching the general public. Born in Iran, raised in South Africa and the United States, she currently splits her time between Africa and the Middle East. Tafline can be reached at tafline (at) greenprophet (dot) com.
