American-Eurasian J. Agric. & Environ. Sci., 15(Tourism & Environment, Social and Management Sciences): 114-122, 2015 ISSN 1818-6769 © IDOSI Publications, 2015 DOI: 10.5829/idosi.aejaes.2015.15.s.215 Corresponding Author: Yendo Afgani Eusoff, Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin, 21300, Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu Malaysia. Tel: +60146193642, E-mail: yendoeusoff@unisza.edu.my. 114 An Assessment of Green Mosque Index in Peninsular Malaysia Yendo Afgani Eusof, Muhammad Denny, Ahmad Puad Mat Som, 1 1 1 Mahmud Mohd Jusan and Basri bin Ibrahim 2 3 Faculty of Applied Social Sciences, Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin, Kuala Terengganu, Malaysia 1 Center for the Study of Built-Environment in The Malay World, Faculty of Built Environment, 2 Institute of Smart Infrastructure and Innovative Construction, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia Faculty of Islamic Contemporary Studies, Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin, Kuala Terengganu, Malaysia 3 Abstract: Sustainable concept has been frequently discussed and applied in attempts to balance the current and future needs. Sustainable principles in terms of Green Building Index (GBI) have been applied in various building types including residential and non-residential buildings. This article suggests a concept of sustainable religious building (i.e. mosque) to be established by forming green index for mosque. To evaluate potential sustainable principles for such building type, field observations were carried out in three states in Malaysia, namely Johor, Terengganu and Selangor in February and March 2015. The study was carried out qualitatively using non-verbal behaviour and direct observation on 45 selected mosques from the three states. From the study, 6 potential concepts can be used to establish Green Mosque Index (GMI) namely Energy Efficiency, Indoor Environmental Quality, Water Efficiency, Sustainable Site Planning and Management, Material and Resources and Innovation and Design. These concepts are potentially useful as embryos to a continuous assessment index for mosques in Malaysia. Key words: Green Index Mosque Sustainability INTRODUCTION renewable clean energy without containing elements World climate change which has significantly On 20 October, 2009, the Ministry of Public Works affected human being and the ecosystem directly or was directed to ensure all new government’s buildings to indirectly is currently a hot topic for discussion. Various be integrated with the Malaysia Green Building Index factors have been identified as the cause to this (GBI) criteria. Researchers have discovered that several phenomenon, including developments which neglect works have been carried out on sustainable principles in implication on environmental sustainability. Sustainable school buildings [4, 5], higher education institutions [6], development fulfils the current needs without damaging universities [7, 8] and private as well as government’s the environment and not adversely affecting the capacity buildings [1, 3, 9, 10]. However, such sustainable building of future generation to fulfil their own needs [1]. The principles for mosques to the authors’ knowledge receive concept of building sustainability is particularly focusing little or no attention. The research works on which this on improving effectiveness in resources consumption article is referring to is an attempt to establish sustainable (such as water) while reducing adverse implication from concept for mosque buildings which lead to the formation the building on human health and environment during its of Green Mosque Index (GMI). operation. This can be achieved through a better settlement effort, building design, operation, conservation Literature Review: The GBI, recognized by the and waste disposal system [2]. For this purpose, green Malaysian government is used to promote sustainability technology was introduced as an initiative involving in built-environment and to increase awareness among various techniques and materials’ exploration using developers, architects, engineers, planners, designers, harmful to health [3]. th