AI Boosts Trades

by Ricia Sturgeon-Hendrick

There are many ways in which AI and even robotics can help the vertical-transportation (VT) industry. For one thing, AI excels at gathering vast amounts of data, organizing it and targeting what you really need to know — think project management or “just-in-time” material ordering. Robotics are being touted for doing jobs that are dirty, dangerous, demeaning or dear (expensive). And robots can work 24 hours a day in the heat or cold without needing a break. This may be the future of many high-rise construction projects.

Another side to this future of AI is that it is taking many entry-level, white-collar jobs. Young men (in particular) are getting college degrees and finding it doesn’t lead to careers in their field. And for many, climbing to the top of the corporate ladder is not the end goal. Gen Z college graduates are turning to the trades. Forty-two percent of Gen Z adults (ages 18-28) are currently working in or pursuing a blue-collar or skilled-trade job, according to a May 20 report from Resume Builder. Of those, 37% have earned a bachelor’s degree. For those in this age group who have not pursued a bachelor’s degree, the trades offer a path to financial independence without the burden of student loans.

The VT trade has much to offer, including good education opportunities, excellent pay, steady advancement and, best of all, the opportunity to participate in building monuments that reach for the sky.

Our Focus this month is Cabs and Cab Accessories, which we explore in 11 articles. One designer said, “When you stand alone in a cab, before it moves, it speaks it’s own story.”

• The Most Overlooked Room in the Building by Joshua Nelson. Five projects designed by the author seek to honor the architectural heritage of buildings.
• Twin Engines of Purpose by Lindsay Fletcher. The author interviews Jose Villarruel, who found a new outlook on cab design after a major illness.
• Pre-Engineered Elevator Cab System by Bill Swenson. A discussion about the simplification of cab interiors.
• Elevated Sustainability by Ivette Natacha Sanchez. Cab trends designed for a greener future have an environmental impact.
• Considerations for Evaluating and Selecting Custom Elevator Cab Interiors vs. Standard Elevator Cab Interiors by Richard Waksmundzki. While standard interiors are pre-designed, a custom one is tailored to fit an aesthetic function.
• Safety on Shell Installs submitted by MAD Elevator. The company discusses a unique system for installs that is safe and meets code.
• Protecting Elevators, Preserving Value by Kaija Wilkinson. Pittsburg-based Door Guard’s cab protection system works well for a University of Minnesota building.
• Evolving Standards and Materials by Desmond Sinclair. The author explains how certain metals are durable and aesthetic.
• Surface Deep by Wilkinson. Elevator Refresh uses architectural film to update elevators.
• Elevating Expectations submitted by Lumigraf. Lumigraf of Montreal says its panel is a blank canvas for the clients’ specifications.
• Back to Its Roots by Wilkinson. SnapCab launches a new higher-end custom cab division for niche markets.
  

Four features this month go from Bangkok, Thailand, (a special elevator for an elderly couple) to the U.K. (inclined elevators in the Tyne Tunnel) and to America’s heartland (a circa 1880 General Electric plant is restored for mixed use). The cover feature, Imagination Unbound by Wilkinson, is KLEEMANN’s AI Lifts, which invites you to envision your own lift — no rules! Several on the staff had fun with this new tool.

We hope you enjoy this issue. It is full to the brim. If you love it, let me know. If not, I can take it; let me know at [email protected].