The mistake many building owners make is starting with the equipment. They call an elevator company and ask for a price on an elevator. The company provides a quote for a standard product. The elevator is installed. And then the problems begin. The capacity is wrong. The speed is too slow. The controls do not meet the building’s needs. The maintenance costs are higher than expected.
A better approach is to start with the problem. What is the building trying to achieve? What are the traffic patterns? What are the accessibility requirements? What are the operational constraints? What is the budget? The answers to these questions define the elevator solution.
The Needs Assessment
A proper needs assessment considers several factors. The first is the building type. An office building has different requirements from a hospital, a hotel, a residential tower, or a retail center. Each building type has its own traffic patterns, its own peak periods, and its own expectations for service quality.
The second factor is the traffic analysis. How many people need to move? How often? Between which floors? During what periods? A traffic study can determine the number of elevators required, the capacity of each elevator, and the speed required to meet the demand.
The third factor is the accessibility requirements. Are there occupants or visitors with disabilities? Are there patients requiring stretcher transport? Are there elderly residents? The elevator solution must accommodate these needs.
The fourth factor is the space constraints. Is there room for a machine room? Is there space for a conventional hoistway? If not, a machine-room-less design or a platform lift may be required.
The fifth factor is the budget. The solution must fit within the available budget, not just for the initial installation but for the ongoing maintenance and eventual modernization.
The Range of Solutions
Elevator solutions come in many forms, and the right one depends on the needs assessment.
For high-rise office buildings, the solution may involve a group of high-speed traction elevators with destination dispatch controls that group passengers by destination to reduce stops and travel time. The elevators may be zoned to serve different sections of the building.
For hospitals, the solution typically involves separate banks of elevators for patients, visitors, and service. Bed elevators are sized to accommodate hospital beds and stretchers. Service elevators are sized for carts and equipment. The controls may include priority features for emergency transport.
For residential buildings, the solution may involve a single elevator with a capacity of eight to thirteen passengers, with finishes that complement the building’s design. For small buildings, a platform lift may be the most practical solution.
For existing buildings, the solution may involve modernization rather than replacement. Modernization can extend the life of an elevator by twenty years or more at a fraction of the cost of a new installation.
For buildings with limited space, the solution may involve a machine-room-less elevator that eliminates the need for a separate machine room, or a panoramic elevator that uses a glass hoistway to reduce the visual impact.
The Provider’s Role
The provider of the elevator solution is not just a vendor of equipment. They are a partner in the project. A good provider will conduct the needs assessment, recommend the right solution, supply the equipment, manage the installation, and support the system over its service life.
The provider’s technical expertise is essential. They must understand the building codes, the accessibility standards, and the traffic analysis methods. They must be able to translate the building’s needs into a technical specification.
The provider’s product range matters. A provider who offers a full range of elevator types and configurations can match the solution to the need. A provider who offers only one type may try to force the building into an unsuitable solution.
The provider’s service capabilities matter. Elevators require maintenance, repair, and eventual modernization. A provider with a strong service network and available spare parts can keep the elevator running. A provider without those capabilities leaves the building owner to solve problems alone.
The Bottom Line
An elevator solution is the answer to a building’s vertical transportation problem. The solution may be simple or complex, depending on the building’s needs. The key is to start with the problem, not the equipment, and to work with a provider who has the expertise to assess the need and design the right solution. For building owners and developers, understanding what an elevator solution involves is the first step toward getting the vertical transportation system that the building actually needs.
