ECOPlanet rockets Morocco’s tallest tower to LEED Gold certification

Designed to resemble a rocket on its launchpad, Morocco’s 250 m tall Mohammed VI Tower in Rabat now stands proud as the nation’s tallest building. Designed by architects Rafael de La‑Hoz and Hakim Benjelloun, this sustainable tower was built with Holcim’s ECOPlanet cement inside.

Beneath the 55-storey tower’s shimmering façade - which shields a luxury hotel, high-end apartments and a rooftop terrace – lies a marvel of sustainable and resilient design. As well as making a statement and being visible from a distance of 50 km away, the tower was designed to stand tall in a seismic zone, and as such high-strength concrete was especially important.

32% less CO₂

Achieved LEED Gold and HQE certifications

5 000 tons of ECOPlanet

Enabling green building standards

The client needed a durable cement that could hold up in even a marine environment. Additionally, they set out to achieve LEED and HQE certifications, so we proposed ECOPlanet low-carbon cement, which delivered more than 30% lower CO₂ emissions and no compromise on performance.

Nureddine Mellak | Technical Sales Director, Holcim Morocco

With a total area of 102 800 m², the tower structure can withstand not only strong winds or seismic events, but also flooding from the neighboring Bouregreg River. It is braced 70% by its concrete core and 30% by the structure of the steel porticos on its façade.

Sustainability by design

Holcim’s ECOPlanet is the world’s broadest range of low-carbon cement offering at least 30% lower carbon emissions versus standard Original Portland Cement (OPC). Contractors BESIX and Six Construct used 5 000 tons of ECOPlanet to build the tower’s most critical structural elements: its reinforced concrete core, specialized deep foundation piles and floor slabs.

Beyond its structure, a complex façade reflects the rhythm of traditional Moroccan architecture while naturally cooling the interior. The building’s façade and roof has around 4 000 m² of integrated photovoltaic panels: energy generated by this “solar skin” is sent to a microgrid that powers everything from elevators and cooling to ventilation and waste management.

By using ECOPlanet, our customer saved 1 000 tons of CO₂ on the Mohammed VI Tower build, and reduced embodied emissions by 32%. ECOPlanet also helped the building gain LEED Gold and HQE sustainability certifications, setting new benchmarks for sustainable construction.

The Mohammed VI Tower honors Morocco’s heritage while symbolizing a positive high-tech future for the country, and its ascent on the global stage. With Holcim’s high-value building solutions inside, the tower is built to last as an icon of sustainable, resilient urban construction.