Building Green in a Concrete World

How Sustainable TERMOBUILD Works



TERMOBUILD leverages the scientific principle known as “thermal mass” through the integrated use of Hollow Core Slabs, Night Pre-cooling, and “Smart floors.”


Thermal inertia of various building materials is well known, the business value is not.

Hybrid system of "Smart" floors linked with heating and cooling equipment to shape a monolithic and sustainable solution. The pre-cast slabs form an integral part of radiant panels and thermal storage by leveraging and activating the structures dormant thermal properties. This innovative technology uses reduced quantity of building materials to do the same job better. It reduces the carbon footprint in both construction and demolition of the buildings.

"Smart" thermal storage works intuitively with fan assisted ventilation system that pushes treated fresh air through a series of main ducts fed into branch ducts formed within the hollow core slabs of ceilings or floors. As air passes along the ducts the concrete warms or cools the fresh air before supplying it to the occupied space.


Image Courtesy of “Setpoint Building Automation”


AC Plant: Any conventional air conditioning system to deliver cooling can be used to trough the main ducts. The air that leaves the slabs through diffusers is returned to the HVAC plant in a conventional way. Return Air usually through corridors or plenums formed by a suspended ceiling in the corridor to follow conventional design principles.
TermoBuild incorporates Hollow Core Slabs of concrete at the pre-construction stage without altering the architectural design. By strategically placing Hollow Core Slabs between the building’s walls and floors, hot and cold temperatures can be stored and released upon demand. As a result, TermoBuild eradicates the need for bulky mechanical equipment used in conventional energy-guzzling buildings. This powerful method decreases energy costs while raising the comfort level of the occupants.

>> Approved Canadian Hollow core producers: www.cpci.ca
>> USA Hollow core producers: www.pci.org(contact us for a list of approved USA hollowcore producers)


Night Pre-Cooling in TermoBuild Hybrid buildings harvesting cool air during the night when conditions are favorable (green tip #1). The cool air is super-charging the Hollow Core Slabs to provide a natural alternative to mechanically-driven air-conditioning systems. Similarly, warm air flows into TermoBuild buildings through strategically-placed open-loop vents to maintain comfortable indoor temperatures as required. Our Night Pre-Cooling structures help to shift larger electrical loads to off-peak periods. This reduces utility peak demand, since during the day smaller cooling capacities are required to perform the same task.

"Smart Floors" and thermal management controls ensure that thermal mass and comfortable temperatures (radiant air) are evenly distributed throughout the building. Using computer-settings, TermoBuild along with DIGI-DECK controls logic allows for owner adjustable space temperature management.

As a surplus feature, TermoBuild buildings are self-cleansing and constantly import fresh, clean air into the building, while exporting old, stale air. The result is improved indoor air quality, ventilation, and health.

Sustainable TermoBuild Principals
The effects of using the heat storage capacity of hollow core slabs varies between summer and winter conditions. Surplus heat, generated from body heat, lighting, computers, sun radiation, etc, can be stored in the slabs increasing their temperature by 2-3°C during the day without affecting the comfort of the occupants. In the summer this excess heat is dissipated from the slabs by cooling the slabs with cool night air in temperate climates, or using conventional chillers, but with up to a 50% reduction in capacity when compared to conventional technologies, in hot climates.

During the winter, in cold climates we retain the heat stored in the slabs overnight, to maintain comfortable internal conditions for the occupants the next day. In some hot climates just using the cool night air, without the need for chillers, can cool the structure to provide comfortable conditions by the following morning.

Cooling Season
With Night Pre Cooling

During occupied hours, heat from internal loads is absorbed by the concrete slab through radiation. Ventilation air is routed through the slab, absorbing heat or being cooled, depending on the temperature of the slab.

During unoccupied hours, cool nighttime air, when available, is circulated through the slab to remove heat and pre-cooling the slab for the following day.

After a night cooling cycle, when stored energy in the thermal mass of the slab is sufficient to handle the space cooling load, the building will operate in a natural ventilation mode or supplementary cooling with operable windows.

Heating Season

During occupied hours, heat from internal loads is transferred to the hollow core slabs through radiation. The heat is either transferred to the supply air or stored in the slab.

During unoccupied hours, if the hollow core slab cools down below the setpoint, the air handling system is started in full re-circulated mode providing warm air to raise the slab temperature and heat the space.