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This series of video clips gives a glimpse into the construction and community of Masjid (mosque) Bilal of the Islamic Society of Cumberland in Ottawa's east end. The mosque was a stop on a bus tour hosted by Greening Sacred Spaces, a Canadian interfaith environmental network.

Visitors were treated to a full tour of the mosque, including the primary worship space, women's area, kitchen, and ablution facilities. The lead builder was on hand to give details about the contruction process and progress; the faith community raises the funds for construction rather than seeking loans so as to avoid liens or other debt obligations on their place of worship, so the speed of construction is deisgned to keep pace with internal fundraising efforts.

The building has a strong emphasis on energy conservation and efficiency, as explained by Noureddine Benichou in the following video clip:

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Like other buildings in eastern Ottawa, the mosque had to conform to stringent building codes due to particular geological features and the natural history of the area. Parts of the region sit on Leda clay, a quicksand-like material formed from sediment left behind by retreating glaciers and the former Champlain Sea. This, plus the fault lines running through the area, mean that the builders needed to carefully consider their options when choosing a foundation, as detailed in the video below:

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The mosque also includes special features relating to the Islamic faith, such as tempered water for the ablutions (washing) performed prior to each of the five daily prayers, inlaid wood on the Syrian-made pulpit, mortuary space for Islamic funeral preparations, and luxuriant Turkish carpeting throughout the worship space.