ISTANBUL
In a first, a mosque in the Turkish metropolis of Istanbul has received the Gold-level Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification, a widely used international green building rating system.
Istanbul Airport's Ali Kuscu Mosque has been recognized as the world's first Gold-level LEED certificate mosque by the US Green Building Council (USGBC).
In a Friday statement, IGA, the company running Istanbul Airport, said it earned the council's LEED Gold v4 certificate for Building Design and Construction.
The council evaluates buildings on criteria such as water efficiency, sustainability, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources, indoor environmental quality, innovation, location and transportation, and integrative processes.
All energy-consuming systems in the mosque were inspected, and it was determined that they were in line with the targeted performance criteria during both assembly and use.
Energy efficiency was prioritized in the lighting and mechanical systems used in the mosque, and its design enables it to make the most of daylight.
Meanwhile, most of the mosque’s construction waste was recycled, while all domestic and recyclable wastes produced during the construction were regularly monitored.
Buildings meeting the standards get silver, gold, or platinum certificates based on their scores on the various criteria.
Since 1998, LEED has revolutionized the marketplace as the world’s premier benchmark for the design, construction, and operation of high-performance green buildings.
