I've got a design where MEP is requiring (3) penetrations through an exterior bearing wall (on first floor of a three story building). Construction is hollowcore over reinforced CMU capped with concrete tie-beam - except where these penetrations occur, the TB depth must be reduced to 8". Between the openings are stub sections of CMU. To help reduce thrust and loading, I'm wondering how legitimate it would be to treat each section of tb above an opening as an individual lintel. As for the heavy stack load above, I cannot find anything in literature that suggests that any portion of that load must be distributed to the lintels as long the height of the CMU above is at least half the height of the lintel - any opinions to the contrary, or anything to suggest that this is not conservative?