HSBC Malta (Seismic Retrofitting)

A pre 1980’s block to the HSBC (Malta) in their Operations Centre Qormi, has currently being upgraded & retrofitted seismically. This block had deteriorated structurally and had been vacated for the past number of years. The decision had been undertaken over the past 4-year period to go for a lean structural solution, whilst retaining the existing volumetric space to be reverted to office use.

Lean structural designs tend to reduce embodied carbon for development projects. Nowadays it is noted that a solution that does not rely on the existing building, involves almost 50% more embodied carbon than one that can justify the increase in load on the existing structures & foundations. Hence retrofitting existing buildings minimises waste of the materials & energy already invested in these structures & the amount of additional material used.

The seismic retrofitting works includes for the insertion of a central staircase/lift core in reinforced concrete with its raft foundation acting as ballast weight to the overturning forces, together with the insertion of 8 vertical trusses located on the façade in structural masonry.