Grant Agreement Number: R&I-2012-058
Development of a Hollow Concrete Block with improved thermal properties,
having same dimensions and load bearing characteristics as the traditional HCB
(THERMHCB)
Written by Perit Caroline Caruana
Supervised by Ing. Charles Yousif
Institute for Sustainable Energy,
University of Malta
September 2013
Development of a Hollow Concrete Block with improved thermal properties, having
same dimensions and load bearing characteristics as the traditional HCB
(THERMHCB)
ThermHCB Project (being developed under the Malta Council for Science and Technology (MCST)
2012 R&I Programme - R&I 2012-058) is one example of ongoing local researches, promoting the
development of higher energy efficient building materials, in order to achieve Malta’s targets by 2020.
In this research work, the potential applicability of ThermHCB blocks as thermally enhanced building
blocks is studied.
ThermHCB (part-financed by the MCST, being co-ordinated by Galea Curmi
Engineering Services Ltd. in partnership with RA & Sons Manufacturing Ltd. and the University of
Malta) is a project aiming at developing a building block with enhanced thermal properties keeping the
standard local dimensions of the HCB with its current structural strength.
ThermHCB partner, RA & Sons Manufacturing Ltd., will be developing the new HCB, with structural
strength tests of the same to be carried out at the Faculty of the Built Environment, University of Malta
and the thermal property tests at the Institute for Sustainable Energy, University of Malta. Two thermal
testing methods shall be investigated in order to establish the correlation of the results obtained from
each measurement technique.
1. The Heat Flow Meter Method: using ISO Document 9869 Part 1: Thermal Insulation – Building
Elements – In-situ measurement of thermal resistance and thermal transmittance, to be carried
out by the Institute for Sustainable Energy and
2. The Infra-red Method: using the ISO Draft Working Document 9869 Part 2: Thermal Insulation –
Building Elements – In-situ measurement of thermal resistance and thermal transmittance, to be
carried out by Galea Curmi Ltd..
In order to apply the ISO 9869:1994 methodology to the ThermHCB project, HCB wall models will be
constructed externally in order to determine their thermal resistivity under in-situ conditions.
The experimental investigations proposed in this study are conducted to produce a final product that
can be manufactured with the same structural strength and improved thermal properties as the
existing standard HCB. The results from this research can be used to determine capabilities of
existing building envelopes in providing thermal comfort whilst reducing energy use. Last, but not
least, this study shall enable an in-depth understanding of the effectiveness of proposed materials
that can be used for zero energy buildings (ZEBs).