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Planning Elevators in High Rise Buildings

Author: Jai Gaitonde
by Jai Gaitonde
Posted: May 26, 2016

Elevators became a safe and practical option for carrying people since 1854 when Elijah Graves Otis invented the over speed governor and safety brake. When the safety concern was mitigated, there was an increase in the number of skyscrapers being built around the world. Skyscrapers are a sign of wealth and prestige and they have become increasingly popular around the world. As population grows and cities become more crowded, there is pressure throughout the world to construct tall buildings as these can accommodate more number of people. Access to the higher floors in a building is facilitated by commercial elevators. They enable easy access and mobility to different levels or floors.

Factors to Consider When Planning Elevators

In any high rise building, internal transportation is very important because it determines the quality and functionality of life within the building. When planning commercial elevators, there are certain factors to take into account.

>> In most constructions, the elevator core is often the building’s support structure and therefore the traffic flow specialist, architect, developer and structural engineer must definitely be involved during the initial orientation phases of the project.

>> The focus must be on making the best use of the space available and when specifications for internal transportation are drawn up, routing and usage must remain logical.

>> Most importantly, the capacity required for stairs, elevators and shafts must be determined.

Determining the Number of Elevators in a Building

The number of lifts to be installed in a tall building depends on the design of the building, usable areas of each floor, number of floors and height of each floor. Before installing a lift, one should have an idea about the approximate number of people who will use the elevator. It can be estimated by knowing the number of offices and the types of offices the building has. Another major factor is passenger waiting time. A waiting time of 20 seconds is acceptable whereas waiting time of 40 seconds is poor. Ideally lifts should be designed to serve maximum number of people with minimum waiting time at the worst peak times so as to disperse the crowd quickly.

Moving Up and Down the Elevator

A recent study calculated the number of elevator miles covered by residents living in the top floors of buildings. Residents who live at the top of the 1,397 foot tall building at 432 Park Avenue in New York City who make round trips in a lift travel 356 elevator miles per year whereas residents who live on the third floor make less that 10 miles per year. To reduce the travel time in the lift, builders and architects are constructing buildings with faster lifts. The race to build taller skyscrapers with faster lifts has sparked fierce competition among lift manufacturers to build faster, safer and more efficient lifts.

A trusted elevator and lift company can provide customized installation and maintenance services that ensure longevity of the equipment while meeting all safety and accessibility standards.

About the Author

Promoter for DAY Elevator & Lift.

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Author: Jai Gaitonde

Jai Gaitonde

Member since: Apr 21, 2015
Published articles: 37

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