Home / Solutions / Case Studies / Art and Culture / Al Saleh Mosque, Yemen

Al Saleh Mosque, Yemen

  • Al Saleh Mosque, Yemen
  • Lamp efficacy

    Lamp efficacy

    Ensuring the lamp efficiently converts electricity into light (lm/W).

  • Ballast classification

    Ballast classification

    Controlling the electricity supply to the lamp (Energy Efficiency Index).

  • Luminaire distribution

    Luminaire distribution

    Controlling light emission using optics which bend and shape the light to the correct location.

  • System efficacy

    System efficacy

    Combining optical and thermal control within the luminaire (luminaire lm/W).

  • Presence/absence detection

    Presence/absence detection

    Presence: Lights automatically turn on/off with movement. Absence: Lights automatically turn off and must be manually switched on.

  • Daylight detection

    Daylight detection

    Artificial lighting which responds to the natural light conditions.

  • Constant illuminance

    Constant illuminance

    A function designed to produce correct light levels for the duration of the maintenance period.

  • Task-scene setting

    Task-scene setting

    Allowing the user to set scenes and adapt the lighting to different tasks.

  • Timed off

    Timed off

    Automatic cut-off can be installed to turn all lights off during unoccupied hours.

  • Task lighting

    Task lighting

    Lighting task areas with the correct amount of light.

  • Zoning of lighting

    Zoning of lighting

    Lighting is zoned according to area use.

  • Maintenance schedule

    Maintenance schedule

    Maintenance must be performed in response to product age, performance and environment.

  • Waste light

    Waste light

    Eliminating waste light which does not hit the intended target.

  • Reflectance

    Reflectance

    Taking advantage of light which is reflected from the surface within the space.

  • Visible smart metering

    Visible smart metering

    Results of actions can be quickly seen as increased or decreased energy use to encourage responsible energy consumption.

Yemen's 'national wonder' lit by Thorn

'A national wonder...' That's how a leading Middle East website describes the newly built Al Saleh mosque in the Yemeni capital Sana'a. Thorn International Sales through its local distributor Al Zaghir, has played a major part in lighting the majestic building

Outstanding feature of the scheme is the floodlighting, which combined considerable imagination and sensitivity with a thoroughly professional grasp of the problems of engineering and light distribution involved. Built at the President's expense to accommodate 44,000 worshipers, the $60 million Mosque combines Yemeni architecture with classic Islamic elements, such as minarets, domes and arches.

Using a mix of Contrast and OQ 1000 floodlights allowed great flexibility in the play of light upon the exterior and ground recessing certain projectors made it inconspicuous in daylight. Flow of light techniques were relied upon rather than dramatic use of spotlighting and by this means over-emphatic highlights and shadows were avoided, as was obtrusive light. The scheme is striking and the six minarets, each soaring 100 metres high, are visible from a considerable distance at night.

Such a complex project made for numerous lighting calculations, and even if lighting levels could be mapped over drawings, the aesthetic quality of the light could only be judged by the eye. So Thorn used 3D design software to supply colour rendered rotational visualisations to the client for a mock-up of the lighting effects. It was then possible to see the modelling which had been impossible to draw and to arrive at the best range of brightness and colour in the quality of the light.