Projects / 5/19/2025

Merdeka 118: sustainability and comfort for the interiors of the world's second tallest building

For the second-tallest skyscraper in the world Mapei solutions have guaranteed sound installation of marble coverings in the lobby and soundproofing in the hotel guest rooms

The Merdeka 118 in Kuala Lumpur, the second tallest skyscraper in the world, is a symbol of innovation and sustainability. Mapei solutions ensured the safe installation of the marble covering of the lobby floors and lift lobby and excellent soundproofing of the rooms in the Park Hyatt hotel. Innovative technologies and low-emission materials have contributed to the overall sustainability of the building.

With a height of 678.9 m, Merdeka 118 reaches up to the skies of Kuala Lumpur, offering breath-taking views of the city to residents and tourists who have made this an unmissable destination during their stay in the Malaysian capital. Its name, Merdeka, means “independence” in Malaysian and is due to its proximity to the stadium bearing the same name, which has played an important role in the history of this nation because it was here that the independence of the Federation of Malaysia was declared in 1957.

Commissioned by the leading Malaysian investment company, PNB (Permodalan Nasional Berhad), and completed in 2022, Merdeka 118 is now the tallest skyscraper in Malaysia and Southeast Asia and the second-tallest building in the world, right after the Burj Khalifa in Dubai. The building is a mix of office spaces (belonging to PNB, which is why it is also called “PNB 118”), hotels, and retail outlets and an observatory floor which will be the highest observation deck in Southeast Asia. Construction of the building required an investment of more than 1 billion Euros and its design took into consideration the symbolic value of the place and its name. For example, the spire rising from the top of the skyscraper recalls the raised arm of the Prime Minister of the Federation of Malaysian, Tunku Abdul Rahman, at the moment in which, while chanting “Merdeka!”, proclaimed the independence of the country from the United Kingdom on 31^st August, 1957.

Its design paid particular attention to sustainability and innovation, favouring the use of cutting-edge technologies to reduce its impact on the environment. A commitment that has led to the building being awarded LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) triple platinum certification by the Green Building Council and Green Real Estate (GreenRE) certification by the Malaysian association REHDA (Real Estate and Housing Developers Association). The sustainability of the building has also been recognised by receiving the “Green Building Index of Silver” award from the Malaysian association of architects and engineers.

Commissioned by the leading Malaysian investment company PNB and completed in 2022, Merdeka 118 is now the tallest skyscraper in Malaysia and Southeast Asia and the second-tallest building in the world.

A flexible and reliable adhesive system

Mapei also played a part in the construction of this new icon of the Kuala Lumpur skyline through the supply of adhesive systems suitable for the luxurious stone coverings chosen for the lobby floor and lift lobby. To guarantee a sound, long-lasting bond for this type of covering material the product chosen was Keraflex Maxi S1, available on the international market as Keraflex Maxi S1 Zero*, a deformable, cementitious adhesive with extended open time and Low Dust technology. What is more, this product has very low emission of volatile organic compounds (VOC) and its low impact on the environment undoubtedly contributed to the high level of sustainability of the entire project.

Keraflex Maxi S1 was also used to bond the marble slabs on the lobby floors and and the toilets of the shopping mall that is still under construction next to Merdeka 118.

To grout the joints in the stone walls in the lobby, it was decided to use Ultracolor Plus, a cement-free grout with very low emission of volatile organic compounds. This polymer-modified product is anti-efflorescence and, in addition to ensuring rapid setting and drying, is water-repellent with DropEffect and mould-resistant with BioBlock technology.

60 restrooms are currently under construction at the 8-storey mall adjacent to Merdeka 118. Neolith Sintered large-format thin stone slabs supplied by Stone Empire are installed on the floor and walls using Kerabond T, a slip-resistant cementitious adhesive that ensures good bonding strength, low slump and high grab so that it can be applied vertically without sagging, even holding heavy tile. When mixed with Isolastic instead of water as in this case, Kerabond T improves its characteritiscs becoming a highly deformable improved cementitious adhesive with extended open time. Joints are grouted with Keracolor FF. Mapei adhesives and grouts are also currently used to install ceramic tiles on walls in the retail lobby, service areas and balcony of the mall.

In the lobby marble slabs were installed on the floors with Keraflex Maxi S1 (now available on the international market as Keraflex Maxi S1 Zero*).

Acoustic comfort for the hotel guest rooms

The largest Malaysian investment company, PNB Merdeka Ventures Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of the PNB Group, announced that the Merdeka 118 skyscraper will shortly host a hotel of the famous Park Hyatt chain, an oasis of comfort and luxury in the centre of Kuala Lumpur. The guest rooms, which will be available to the public from mid-2025, are on the 17^th floor of the complex and will provide an atmosphere of both sophistication and hospitality.

Mapei soundproofing technology also played a part in guaranteeing a relaxing atmosphere for the guests. In the hotel suites, more than 25,000 m² of flooring have been soundproofed withMAPESILENT, a system specifically developed to rapidly guarantee excellent, highly effective soundproofing for the floors by reducing impact noise from footsteps. Thanks to its low thickness and simple application, Mapesilent enables floating screeds perfectly isolated from the substrate to be created quickly, above which it is possible to apply any type of flooring (wood, ceramic, natural stone, resilient and textile flooring and resin).

In this case the product used was Mapesilent Roll, an elasto-plastomeric membrane sandwiched together with a resilient layer of polyester fibre, which is available in rolls. Apart from having high soundproofing properties, it is characterised by high tear strength and impact resistance, properties that considerably reduce the possibility of it being damaged during site work. In order to avoid the formation of acoustic bridges, once the rolls had been applied, continuity in the soundproofing layer was guaranteed by using strips of self-adhesive Mapesilent Band R adhesive band around the edges and along the perimeter walls and Mapesilent tape to seal the overlaps of each single element. Apart from guaranteeing excellent soundproofing, the Mapesilent system is also sustainable thanks to its use of recycled materials and its being characterised by very low emission of volatile organic compounds (VOC). Certified Emicode EC1^PLUS by GEV, this product also contributed to the low environmental impact and modernity of Merdeka 118, the new icon of Kuala Lumpur and symbol of Malaysian innovation, pride and patriotism.