Okaz/ Saudi Gazette

JEDDAH — The Ministry of Islamic Affairs will launch a smart ventilation project in Al-Salim Mosque in Makkah on Sunday.

Ministry of Islamic Affairs Deputy Minister Towfiq Al-Sudairy said the smart ventilation system would be powered by solar energy.

“Al-Salim Mosque in Makkah will be the second mosque to have solar-powered air conditioners in the holy city. We successfully installed solar-powered air conditioners in a mosque in Hiteen district previously. We plan to install these air conditioners in as many mosques as possible to make them eco-friendly and green,” said the deputy minister.

Al-Sudairy said the ministry collaborated with King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology and related organizations to make all mosques eco-friendly.

“We are not only trying to consume less power but we are also trying to transform mosques into power-generating buildings as opposed to power-consuming ones. This will save electricity and provide a surplus that can be channeled elsewhere,” said Al-Sudairy.

He also said controlling ventilation, lighting, audio devices and surveillance will not need any manual labor.

“We can do all these things automatically and remotely. We also plan to build a geographical information system for all mosques in the Kingdom alongside other electronic services including central and comprehensive databases of mosques,” said Al-Sudairy.

He added that the ministry would build a geographical database to manage the new electronic services and to provide its employees with necessary training on how to operate and maintain these services.