Nothing you indicate contravenes anything in the IET regs, and given the local building techniques and tendency to use  stone walls and poured concrete floors, and the threading of flexi-conduit with singles makes perfect sense. Well crimped ferrule or bootlace ends to make a 'hard end' for those connectors that need it,- again is perfectly acceptable under the regs and is very sensible.

Additionally I suspect (only based on being there for work over 20 years ago mind you) that the Maltese may make more use of TT supplies, so choice of RCDs becomes  more important, and at that time they seemed to prefer a larger number of 2.5mm2 radial final circuits covering a small area (bit like our continental cousins) rather than higher current rings covering more of the building.This was probably as well given the no of europlugs seen stuck in 13A sockets..

However, 'common practice' may well have changed quite a bit over time so a pinch of salt with my info may be needed. ;-) Others may well be rather more up to date.

Mike.

wpqs said:

Single core cables are run inside plastic conduit rather than using twin core and earth in a PVC jacket. The cables are also multistranded rather than solid core, though for some terminations the wire is capped and crimped to give a solid core like end

Common practice in the UK for non-domestic installs - and also some domestic garages. If using UK accessories, ferrules are not always necessary because of the terminal requirements in the accessory standards, but ferrules can be used with Class 2 (stranded) or Class 5 (flexible, or finely stranded) conductors - given the caveat that with larger cross-sectional areas, ≥ 10 sq mm, ferrules on Class 2 conductors with a small number of strands (such as 7 strand) might be problematic until the terminal is tightened properly - espeically if they are not manufactured to the correct standards and crimped with the appropriate tools.

wpqs said:

Plastic backboxes are used rather than metal. This is because they are chased into limestone blocks, not brick, so metal backboxes tend to corrode.

Similarly, common in the UK (drywall boxes, plastic conduit system backboxes ... and sometimes chased in too, in older properties because of lime mortar and plaster causing the same problems).

Do they use an intumescent seal on any penatrations made to the fabric of the building?

Try doing an internet search “Indian wiring versus Gulf wiring”

shishirameng.com/.../

gkenyon said:

ferrules can be used with Class 2 (stranded) or Class 5 (flexible, or finely stranded) conductors - given the caveat that with larger cross-sectional areas, ≥ 10 sq mm, ferrules on Class 2 conductors with a small number of strands (such as 7 strand) might be problematic until the terminal is tightened properly - espeically if they are not manufactured to the correct standards and crimped with the appropriate tools.

I suspect that the project will be using up to 4 mm² cable in which case I think that ferrules are definitely an advantage especially at the load end and in the neutral and earth bars which just have a screw in a hole.

I have tried ferrules on 16 mm² cable, but they seemed pretty pointless given that the strands are significantly thicker than the ferrules themselves.

That is quite an amusing article. I could probably write a short commentary comparing UK and 'Gulf' wiring styles as well but I think I'd better not as it might come rather too close to a real Prince Philip moment...

The real trick of course is to use an adequate wire. I'd be wary of any design in say 2.5mm2 solid core, that was so near the knuckle that the fractionally different resistance of changing to a 2.5mm flex caused it to fail or indeed altered performance measurably. If something really is that close, please use the next size up.  In terms of 'correct' cable choice that is really entirely environmental, and once inside plastic conduit the no of strands used to make up the cross sectional area is largely irrelevant, though more strands does make it easier to pull in, but the overall bundle a bit fatter.

Mike.