According to local mass media the first eco-friendly mosque in Islamic world is 85 percent complete and is set to open its doors to worshippers shortly. The eco-friendly mosque would be the largest of its kind in Dubai, spreading across 9750 square meters with a built-up area of 4200 square meters. The mosque can accommodate 3,500 worshippers. The project, which will be located near the Deira Clock Tower, aims to achieve the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver certification for conformance to the sustainability requirements of the US Green Building Council (USGBC). The mosque integrates renewable energy solutions in its design. This is illustrated in the exterior lighting poles that are fitted with solar panels, battery storage system that is powered by solar energy, and the use of solar panels instead of energy-draining electric heaters for the purpose of water heating. The use of energy-saving LED lights over regular bulbs, and a control system that automatically switches on the lights to correspond with prayer times or in the presence of an individual in the hall are some of the other eco-friendly solutions integrated into the design of the mosque. In addition to daylight sensors in the extension of the mosque, a climate control system has also been installed to regulate the air-conditioning units according to prayer times and the number of worshippers. Among other solutions used is thermal insulation in the building material for roofs and exterior walls to reduce heat transfer, and double-glazed windows with metal coating to minimize the intensity of solar radiation into the mosque. Technologically advanced equipment has also been installed for improving indoor air quality and the performance of the air-conditioning system. Last year Turkey also announced plans to build world's first eco mosque, which will use green technologies, for example solar and wind power to produce electricity.

Japan's tallest building will opened in Osaka, as Asia's third-biggest metropolitan economy aims to lure tourists and stem businesses from moving to Tokyo. Kintetsu Corporation, one of the main rail operators in western Japan, spent US$1.3 billion and 4 years constructing the 300-meter "Abeno Harukas" skyscraper. Abeno Harukas took the tallest building mantle from Landmark Tower, a 296-meter high rise housing offices, shops and a hotel in Yokohama city. < br/> The new 60-floor complex, which includes a Marriott International Inc. hotel, and a separate proposal for a US$ 4.9 billion casino resort are the latest attempts to bolster the city's economy. The observation deck "Harukas 300" is located around the 288-meter level and runs from the 58th to the 60th floors. It is the second-highest observation deck in Japan after Tokyo Sky Tree's deck located at about 450 meters above ground. Visitors are able to see as far away as Kyoto and Kobe.

India has pledged to build the world's most powerful solar plant. With a nominal capacity of 4,000 megawatts, comparable to that of four full-size nuclear reactors, the "Ultra-Mega Green Solar Power Project" will be more than ten times larger than any other solar project built so far, and it will spread over 77 square kilometers of land - greater than the island of Manhattan. The first phase of the project, which will be for 1,000 megawatt capacity, is expected to be completed in three years. Six state-owned companies have formed a joint venture to execute the project, which they say can be completed in 7 years at a projected cost of US$ 4.4 billion. The proposed location is near Sambhar Salt Lake in the northern state of Rajasthan. The solar photovoltaic power plant will have an estimated life of 25 years and is expected to supply 6.4 billion kilowatt-hours per year, according to official figures. It could help to reduce India's carbon dioxide emissions by more than 4 million tons per year, estimates Parimita Mohanty, a fellow at the Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) in New Delhi. India currently has a grid-connected solar-power capacity of 2,208 MW - up from a mere 17.8 MW in 2010, when the central government launched the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission (JNNSM). The JNNSM aims for India to reach an installed capacity of 20,000 MW (or 20 gig watts) of solar power by 2022.

Construction workers in downtown Los Angeles finished laying the foundation for a planned 73-story skyscraper expected to be the tallest west of the Mississippi River as they completed the world's largest continuous pour of concrete, reported news agency Reuters. The 21,200 cubic yards of concrete weighing some 38,200 metric tons was hauled to the site by a fleet of over 200 trucks making a total of 2,120 trips in a continuous 19-hour. The foundation is expected to take two weeks to completely harden, during which cool water will be pumped through a network of tubes embedded in the massive slab to absorb heat as the concrete cures. The New Wilshire Grand tower, designed to include 900 luxury hotel rooms, 37,200 square meters of offices, plus retail space, is slated to be completed in late 2016 and open in early 2017. The US$ 1 billion project is being developed by Korean Airlines, which also owned the old Wilshire Grand building that was demolished to make room for the new tower. The marathon effort to lay its foundation was certified by the Guinness World Records as the largest continuous pour of concrete ever by volume, surpassing by just 200 cubic yards the previous record set at the Venetian hotel and casino in Las Vegas, according to Michael Empric, the Guinness adjudicator. The Venetian was completed in 1999. Rising 73 stories into the Los Angeles skyline, the New Grand Wilshire tower will measure 335 meters high, including a spire affixed to the top of the building, in a design that developers boast will make it the tallest building west of the Mississippi.

At long last, the world's largest solar bridge at London's Blackfriars station is finally complete. Solarcentury and England's Network Rail partnered to cover the bridge with 4,400 photovoltaic panels. Formerly an energy hog, the bridge now provides Blackfriars station with half of the energy it requires to operate. Work on the world's largest solar bridge formally began on October 2011. The Blackfriars solar bridge stretches across the River Thames, transporting thousands of commuters every day from South London out of one of the busiest stations in the city. The station already accommodates electric trains, which make public transportation even greener, but with the new solar bridge is expected to make the station even more sustainable. First Capital Connect, which runs Blackfriars, estimates that the 4,400 photovoltaic panels will divert 511 tons of carbon emissions each year, drastically reducing the station's carbon footprint. Aside from providing renewable energy to the station, the Blackfriars Bridge will also serve as a symbol of London's quest to be a more sustainable city. The photovoltaic panels can be seen from both sides of the river, inviting tourists and locals to think about renewable energy. Solarcentury designed the bridge to incorporate the panels every step of the way, making a point that renewable energy is not an afterthought. Instead, it comprises a crucial element of the design.